Erratic Sharapova keeps hopes alive of career grand slam
Maria Sharapova was two points from defeat in her opening match against fellow Russian Evgeniya Rodina
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Friday, 30, May 2008 10:26
Top seed Maria Sharapova survived a scare before beating Bethanie Mattek 6-2 3-6 6-2. in the second round of the French Open.
Russian Sharapova had won the opening set last night before darkness stopped play.
The Australian Open champion was in woeful form when play resumed today and was broken as Mattek forced a decider.
Sharapova continued to falter with her serve and misfired with a number of passing shots. But the 21-year-old squeezed through after breaking the American qualifier for the third time in the third set.
The statistics will make grim reading for Sharapova, who mad ten double faults and a whopping 51 unforced errors.
Sharapova, looking to win at Roland Garros to complete a career grand slam, said her stamina will be her main weapon in Paris.
"I'm not a clay court specialist that's going to stand ten feet behind the baseline and retrieve balls back," Sharapova said.
"I'm going to stick to my guns and do what I do best. I'm also going to play patiently if I want to win matches, especially against physically challenging players that hit ten balls back.
"If I feel tired then they're feeling 20 times more tired, because they're the one doing all the running."
Sharapova will now play Italian Karin Knapp, the 32nd seed, in the third round.
Her compatriot Ana Ivanovic is through to the last 16 after defeating Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki 6-4 6-1. The world number two will play Czech Petra Cetkovska for a place in the quarter-finals.
Vera Zvonareva capped off a successful day for Russia with a 6-2 6-4 win against France's Stephanie Cohen-Aloro in her second round match.