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SHARAPOVA SURVIVES AUSSIE OPEN EPIC
With her back against the wall, she just hit harder and harder - Maria Sharapova saved two match points to win an absolute epic and stay alive at the Australian Open.
MELBOURNE, Australia - Maria Sharapova survived an absolute epic at the Australian Open on Wednesday, rallying from 4-1 down in the third set - as well as fighting off two match points down 5-4 - to hold off unheralded yet inspired Russian qualifier Alexandra Panova in three sets, 6-1, 4-6 7-5.
It seemed pretty straightforward on paper going into it - Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion, the World No.2, undefeated on the year, and Panova, a No.150-ranked qualifier who had never won a main draw match at a Grand Slam before beating Sorana Cirstea in the first round on Monday.
And early on it was straightforward, Sharapova cruising through the first set in just 26 minutes, but something began brewing from there - Panova began serving bigger, hitting more corners and upping her consistency, while unforced errors began creeping into Sharapova's game. Not before long, Panova had the second set, 6-4, and was up 4-1 in the third, even bringing up points for 5-1.
It was a few games later when Panova had her biggest shot, though. Serving for it at 5-4, she brought up her first match point at 40-30 - Sharapova swatted it away with a forehand return winner. Panova won the deuce point to bring up a second match point at ad-in - Sharapova swatted that one away, too, this time with a crosscourt forehand angle winner. It was almost too late at that point - from the first match point, Sharapova ripped winners on five of the next seven points to get out of that game.
The No.2-seeded Sharapova reeled off two quick games to finish it off in two hours and 32 minutes.
She gave us a little glimpse into her champion's mentality in her post-match press conference.
"I thought my process through the match to the 5-4 game was pretty negative," Sharapova said.
"I think I was dwelling too much on my mistakes and what I was doing wrong, and not really being in the present, something that I'm usually really good at. At that point when you're behind, you feel like you're making a lot of errors and don't have a good rhythm out there, but I really just kept trying to take it one point at a time, think positively, and change my thought process a little bit out there.
"When other things aren't working, maybe the mental side of things will help you out."
What positives does the former World No.1 take with her from this? "Just the fact that I did pull through and gave myself a chance to keep going. You never know how you're going to feel until you go out on the court and compete and play. No matter how you prepare, once you get out there, everything starts from scratch. It was a tough day, but I pulled through, and at this point that's what matters."
Awaiting Sharapova in the third round will be No.31 seed and WTA Rising Star Zarina Diyas, who also won a marathon, outlasting Anna Schmiedlova in two hours and 40 minutes, 3-6, 6-2, 8-6.
Sharapova and Diyas will be playing against each other for the first time. |
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Post time 21-1-2015 08:59 PM
