Sunday, 3 June 2012

Sharapova Surges Past Shuai


Second seed Maria Sharapova powered past Peng Shuai to reach the last 16 of the French Open.

The Russian won 6-2 6-1 and has dropped only five games in three matches so far, having beaten Alexandra Cadantu 6-0 6-0 and Ayumi Morita 6-1 6-1 in the previous rounds.

She will now take on Czech Klara Zakopalova, the conqueror of another seeded Russian in Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, for a place in the quarter-finals.

Sharapova, bidding to win her first ever French Open title, made a perfect start on Saturday, converting her second break point in the opening game.

She won again on the Peng serve but the Chinese player immediately clawed back one of the breaks to trail 3-1.

That became 4-2 before an unplayable deep forehand set up the first of two break points for Sharapova as she moved within one game of winning the set at 5-2, then served out for the set.

Even Sharapova's sometimes fragile serve was consistent, with a first-serve percentage of 61% through the match and only one double fault.

She again broke at the first opportunity in the second set and led 4-0 before the 28th seed got a game on the board.

It was her only one, though, with Sharapova closing out a 66-minute victory in ruthless fashion.

The Russian, a semi-finalist last year, and seeking a French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, has lost just five games in three rounds.

"I came in knowing that I was facing a tough opponent who has beaten me before and against who I have played three sets," said Sharapova.

"She can really play, hits the ball really well, so I tried to keep her moving, tried to get her on the run."


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