Radwanska lays down marker

POLAND’s Agnieszka Radwanska signalled herself as a growing threat when she clinched her eighth career title courtesy of a 7-5, 6-4 win over Germany’s Julia Goerges in the final of the Dubai Open.The 22-year-old’s win underlined her as one of the game’s cleverest players, her subtle changes of pace and direction luring her more powerful opponent into self-destruction.Goerges nevertheless did well enough, during a week in which she also beat former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, to suggest that her flat-hitting, net-attacking game may play a more prominent role in future.“I had to play my best to beat her,” said Radwanska, who has lost only to world number one Victoria Azarenka this year. “She hits so well it is hard to see the ball.“But I try to be calm, because, if you’re not, everything gets worse. I’m happy to have been playing great tennis at the start of this year. I just hope I can play this tennis the rest of the year.”The week also saw Radwanska score her 300th win on tour, beat former world number one Jelena Jankovic in the semi-finals, and earn her biggest pay packet, $446,778.She did so on a very rare occasion when the women’s champion will earn $37,000 more than her male counterpart.That is because although the two Dubai Open singles events have an identical prize fund total - $2,000,000—this week’s men’s draw has four players more.