May 04, 2011
World No.9 Maria Sharapova came close to winning a title in Miami but fell at the final hurdle. Will the red clay of Madrid prove lucky his time? Read here.
World No.9 and three time major champion Maria Sharapova takes on Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova for a place in the next round of the 2011 Mutua Madrid Open, a WTA premier event being played here in the Spanish Capital.
The 2011 season marked Sharapova's return to top 10 in WTA rankings after two years of struggle. Sharapova claimed two titles last year but failed to open her account in 2011. Sharapova's best performance this year has been a final finish in Miami at the Sony Ericsson Open, where she lost in straight sets to Belarusian Victoria Azarenka.
Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova enjoyed her best tournament run two years ago at Roland Garros where she finished semifinalist to eventual runner up Dinara Safina in a tight contest. Despite consistent performances, Cibulkova has failed to lift her maiden WTA singles trophy. Cilbulkova is a strong baseliner with an ability to serve well under pressure. Cibulkova scored a comprehensive victory over two time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round and is playing well on her favourite surface at the moment.
Both players have contested three matches so far with Sharapova leading the way 2-1. The Slovakian won the pair's previous meeting in 2009 French Open where Sharapova was unanimously lauded for her remarkable comeback after an injury hiatus.
Sharapova is definitely struggling since the start of the claycourt season but is likely to clinch victory today by the virtue of her experience on clay in two closely contested sets.
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