Monday, August 7 2006 19:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

San Diego (California): Second-seeded Maria Sharapova beat Kim Clijsters 7-5, 7-5 here Sunday, taking her first triumph in five tries over the Belgian top seed to win the 1.34 million-dollar WTA hard court event.

The defeat snapped a 24-match North American summer hard court unbeaten streak for Clijsters, the reigning US Open champion.

It was the fourth final of the year for fourth-ranked Sharapova, who had not won a title since Indian Wells in March.

The Russian star, playing for the first time in three weeks, broke Clijsters in the final game to defeat Clijsters after one hour and 48 minutes.

Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champion, did not lose a set at the US Open warm-up event but played some tension-packed tennis to do it. She downed Swiss Patty Schnyder 7-5, 6-4 in Saturday's semi-finals.

Clijsters has never won this event, losing the 2003 final to compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne.