The final match of the opening day of the season-ending WTA Championships is between world number two Maria Sharapova of Russia and Australian starlet Samantha Stosur - surprise winner of the US Open and ranked seventh.

Thanks for joining me this evening. Some entertaining matches to kick off the tournament. We'll be back tomorrow with all the live action which, of course, you can watch on Eurosport and

SHARAPOVA 5-7 - GAME SET AND MATCH! Match point! Into the net from Sharapova after a fairly un-thrilling baseline rally sees the Russian lose her cool on the backhand! Immense return from the next serve but out says the umpire! Maria challenges but no chance, Stosur wins! It had been nine successive defeats to the Russian.

SHARAPOVA 5-6 - Wild return from Sharapova but it stays in somehow and another break point! Remember - Sharapova has a 9-0 record against Stosur... But she nets the next return. Deuce. But another superb return gives Sharapova another break point! Her third in this game... But a wicked second serve outfoxes Maria and it's deuce again. Seven minutes almost...

SHARAPOVA 5-6 - Stosur serving to win the match. She takes the first point. A challenge from Stosur as her next shot is called out. Nope. 15-15. And another long one from Stosur as Sharapova comes out fighting. But Sharapova goes long with a chance to pass it down the line, but a break point as she inexplicable passes wide with Maria stranded. Deuce though as Sharapova tries an ambitious winner. She isn't going down without a fight...

SHARAPOVA 5-6 - BREAK! A sixth double fault for Sharapova and Stosur is 30-0 up! And she slides one into the net and it's three break points... Ace. 15-40. Only staving off the inevitable though as she breaks! Rotten game from Sharapova. Stosur serving for the match.

SHARAPOVA 5-5 - Stosur is serving to stay in the second set and starts poorly as Sharapova bullies her on to her knees as she slices a backhand into the net. Stosur fights back to 30-30 though, just keeping one shot in, and clips a weak return from Sharapova into space before holding as Maria pumps her next return long.

SHARAPOVA 5-4 - A big, big hold. Stosur should have broken her but two successive errors allow Maria to stay in it, the last one long after a scooped forehand by the Russian set up what could have been a winner and should have been kept alive.

SHARAPOVA 4-4 - Great return from the Aussie to draw first blood. A break here would leave her serving for the match. And a double fault by Sharapova, her fourth so far. She pulls the next point back. And great stuff to win the next two points, one powerful double-hander in particular leaving Stosur for dead. But oh dear she nets with no pressure and it's deuce. BOOM. Advantage Maria. But a double fault! Again! But a weak one into the net from Stosur gives Maria advantage....

SHARAPOVA 4-4 - Stosur responds in kind with a solid service game.

SHARAPOVA 4-3 - The Russian pulls out her A-game to race 40-0 up and holds easily.

SHARAPOVA 3-3 - Stosur falls 15-30 behind but manages to hold as she blasts some tight serves out.

SHARAPOVA 3-2 - BREAK! Old-school Sharapova from the baseline, flat shots and gliding movement, Stosur hits long. The Aussie bounces back with a sweet half-volley on the baseline and it's 30-30. And now a break point as she gets lucky on a lob... and taken as Sharapova blunders from the baseline with Stosur stranded, the Russian sending it long.

SHARAPOVA 3-1 - Big hold as the Aussie saves three break points. Sharapova blasts her way to 40-0 but Stosur saves one with a backhand volley at the net after some ping-poing from both women. An ill-advised and poorly-executed drop shot sits up nicely for the Aussie to bury. Just the one break point... Saved too! Deuce. Strong serve that Maria makes but only for Stosur to kill a forehand into space. And Maria mis-hits wide on the next rally. Great fightback from Sam.

SHARAPOVA 3-0 - Hawkeye hands Stosur a point but some killer shots from Maria put her ahead. Hold. Clap clap.

SHARAPOVA 2-0 - BREAK! Aggressive move inside from Sharapova to force the error and bring it to 30-30. Now Stosur nets and it's break point! Her first... and taken as Stosur spoons a forehand long!

SHARAPOVA 1-0 - From a point of strength and what should have been a simple hold, Sharapova double-faults and then inexplicably nets the volley with Stosur stranded. She was a yard from the net. Deuce. Stosur nets though as Sharapova dominates the rally from deep. But deuce again as Maria stumbles. Finally she holds though, stopping the rot.

My between-sets reminder that this is on the television, our television (that's Eurosport) and the lovely online Player, which lets you watch stuff on your PC.

SHARAPOVA 1-6 - SET! Stosur serving for the set and she bombs her way to three set points... First serve out, second is returned long. Convincing from the Aussie.

SHARAPOVA 1-5 - BREAK! Deary me, a pair of double faults from Sharapova and it's 15-30. Head start to Stosur without even moving. And an unforced error means it's two break points... Ace. 30-40. Classic Sharapova. She brings it to deuce after Stosur's called out, then an umpire overrule... upheld. Break.

SHARAPOVA 1-4 - Good stuff from Sharapova as she hustles her way to deuce but Stosur jammily holds after a weak shot hits the net and trickles over to a dead halt.