May 28, 2011
Maria Sharapova reached the last 16 of the French Open on Saturday after beating Chan Yung-jan 6-2 6-3.
It was a drama-free encounter for the seventh seed, and an outcome she was doubtless grateful for having been a set and 4-1 down against French teenager Caroline Garcia in their second-round match on Thursday.
Sharapova also progressed in the knowledge that with Caroline Wozniacki, Kim Clijsters and Samantha Stosur already out, she may never have a better chance to take the title at Roland Garros, the only grand slam she has not yet won.
Qualifier Chan did not have the same weight of shot as Garcia, and in conditions that were also much less windy than they had been two days earlier, Sharapova immediately stamped her authority.
The seventh seed raced into a 4-0 lead and, although her opponent showed spirit and no little skill in the first set, Sharapova never seemed likely to throw it away.
Chan, from Chinese Taipei and ranked 129th in the world, continued to pose problems at the start of the second set and she even broke Sharapova to take it to three games apiece.
However, there was no way back for Chan once her opponent broke serve again in the seventh game.
Sharapova eventually sealed victory, and a fourth-round encounter with Agnieszka Radwanska, in an hour and 29 minutes.
"I felt like I was in control most of the match," said the Russian. "I only got broken once and I served really well throughout the match. I took my chances when I had them. I was quite pleased after playing a three-set match that I had a quicker one today."
Resources : http://www.skysports.com/
|
Subscribe
