Maria Sharapova [Images] was feeling confident about her US Open defence after winning the San Diego Classic on Sunday.

Sharapova won her first title of the year by beating Patty Schnyder 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 in the final on Sunday.

Sharapova used a powerful baseline attack to break the left-handed Swiss six times amid a flurry of 37 winners, but she did not have things all her own way.

"After winning here and then winning the Open, you want to do the same thing," the world number two told reporters. "Last year I won here and went to In and Out Burger, and this year I want to get in the car, go there again and drive the same way."

Hampered by a shoulder injury all year, Sharapova had struggled to find her best form until San Diego.

She was crushed by Serena Williams [Images] in the Australian Open final, by Ana Ivanovic in the French Open semi-finals and by Venus Williams in the fourth round of Wimbledon.

But after taking a rest and abbreviating her service action to ease her shoulder pain, the Russian found her stride in San Diego, only dropping one set and beating a number of good opponents, including Tatiana Golovin [Images], Sania Mirza [Images], Anna Chakvetadze [Images] and Schnyder.

"All girls those can be very dangerous, but you can run into someone ranked 50 or 60 who has nothing to lose and plays her best against you," Sharapova said.

"I never underestimate any opponent. I have to concentrate on what I have to do and not what they are doing, because if you strongly believe in what you are doing, you are in good hands."

Sharapova will be the top seed at next week's tournament in Los Angeles before taking two weeks off to prepare for the US Open which starts on Aug. 27.

"I have to maintain and improve," she said. "I'm hoping to find a high level and be fresh."

• Complete tennis coverage
• All you want to know about Sania Mirza