May 27, 2009
Maria Sharapova has always been among the best-dressed in her field and this year at Roland Garros is no exception.
The 22-year-old Russian is sporting a layered, multi-textured Nike dress, imbued with various shades of blue -- accompanied by matching shoes, visor and underthings -- and impeccably accessorized with drippy gold and crystal earrings and a crucifix necklace.
It would all add up to a fashion tour de force, if not for one ugly exception -- two broad swaths of white trainer's tape, which intersect on the very top of her right shoulder.
This is the jarring, constant reminder of why she was unable to play tennis for nine months.
The former world number one had come into the second grand slam of the season with only two matches in a minor tournament in Poland under her belt. Still playing with tape on her troublesome right shoulder, Sharapova showed no ill effects as she won five straight games to take the first set.
Maria scored the best win of her comeback today at Roland Garros after injury to claim the scalp of 11th seed Nadia Petrova of Russia. Petrova would prove to be the most formidable opponent in her nascent comeback. Maria won 6-2 1-6 8-6 in 2 hours and 12 minutes to reach the third round of the French Open in Paris on Wednesday.
"I think these types of matches are really important for me, for my game," Sharapova said. "Obviously, I am spending a little bit more time out there than I want to, but I think I'm learning so many new things as well.
I kind of started stumbling away. Things went in the wrong direction. I was just glad I could pick myself up and keep fighting and do the right things, and end up with a match win."
Maria started the set well by breaking Petrova in the 1st game. Petrova then took the next 2 games to lead 2-1. Maria then took control of the set as she took 4 games in a row and in the last game of the set she faced a break point, but it didn't stop Maria serving out the set. Maria hit an ace at deuce, and then Petrova couldn't put the ball back in play as Maria took the set 6-2 in 32 minutes.
The 2nd set was level on serve at 1-1 but then Petrova took the next 5 games to take the set 6-1 in 29 minutes.
The women split the first two sets and, so, the third became a matter of the mind. This is an arena in which Sharapova has always excelled. The shrill, shrieks were vintage, even if the serve and groundstrokes were not. There were even a few retro, scowling stare-downs and a smart, stylish 90-degree turn and fist pump with heel kick.
In the 3rd round to be played on Friday, Maria will be up against Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazhakstan. Maria has never played Shvedova before.
About once a game you could see a flash of the past, a harsh roll of the wrist and a -- thwock! -- Powerful forehand cross-court winner.
Sharapova trailed 4-2 and faced a break point, but her serve bailed her out -- as it would through the rest of the match. Trailing 15-30 at 5-all, she hit three consecutive unreturnable serves, one of them an ace.
In the end, Petrova unraveled. She blew an easy forehand volley and on match point ripped a forehand just a little too boldly. It sailed just wide and soon Sharapova was blowing kisses to four sides of Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Were those tears in her eyes as she looked skyward?
In the end, it was the kind of match Sharapova needs to play: long (2 hours, 12 minutes) and complicated. With her gifts of size and strength -- and the corresponding lack of mobility -- the 6-foot-2 Sharapova will never call the French her favorite Grand Slam. It remains the only one she has never won and Lenglen is considered to be the slowest of the venue's 20 clay courts.
But her comeback was not pointed to Paris. Rather, the target has been Wimbledon and, more realistically, the U.S. Open in late summer.
"I can't possibly have any expectations after being out for so long," Sharapova said. "I mean, my expectations are to do the best that I can. I know what I'm capable of out there, I know what I've done before and I know I can do it again and even better."
Resources : http://www.mariasharapova.com/, http://edition.cnn.com, http://sports.espn.go.com
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