American Jackson Shocks Sharapova at WTA Birmingham

"Jamea was on top of her game," said Sharapova who was far from her ball-striking best. "She served well, kept making me hit an extra ball and took the initiative from the beginning, breaking my service and shooting into the lead, which set the tone for the match...I was a little bit flat and didn't seem able to put more than two or three points together. I wasn't playing my game because Jamea just didn't allow me to."

The 19-year-old Jackson punished the Sharapova serve with consistent returns.

"I really am stunned," said Jackson, who was 0-2 versus Sharapova entering the match. "She's a great player and she'd won here the past two years. So for me, this is huge, by far the biggest win of my career. I played extremely aggressive because I knew I had to. You can't fall behind on grass and once I got ahead I believed in myself and this was the key."

It was only the fourth career loss on grass for Sharapova.

In the all-unseeded final Jackson will face Russian former Top 10er Vera Zvonareva, who came from a set down to defeat American qualifier Meilen Tu 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

"It's a great feeling to be in a final again. I'm so excited," Zvonareva said. "Tu is an unbelievable player, and I was very lucky to escape in the second set, but I think she got tired after playing six games here."