FROM THE BANK OF THE WEST CLASSIC AT STANFORD – Maria Sharapova and Nadia Petrova have had some classic wars before, including their 8-6 in the third set dust-up just a couple of months back at Roland Garros.
But if it wasn’t clear then, when Sharapova was playing just her fifth match since returning from shoulder surgery and still managed to gut out the win, it’s clear now, that Sharapova enjoys the rapid fire exchanges and is a little better in every department.
Strike that. On a great day, she’s substantially better in many departments, hence her easy 6-1, 6-2 victory over her fellow Russian in the second round and her 7-1 record against Petrova.
It was by far the best level that Sharapova has shown since she returned. She served hard and hit her targets. She read Petrova’s second serves and boomed them into the corners. She moved quickly to her forehand side and kept the ball deep. She rarely missed a backhand.
“Against an opponent like her I have to play really well,” Sharapova said. “She’s really explosive and it’s important to take care of service games and get looks at second serves. I put pressure on her and did a lot of things well today.”
While one match might not tell the tale of the rest of the summer, there’s no doubt that if she plays that well, she’ll be a serious factor at the US Open. Sharapova may not win it, but every player out there is aware of how determined she is to get back to the top, and how lethal she can be when she’s healthy.
On Tuesday, while discussing her own struggles, Anna Chakvetadze reflected on Sharapova’s comeback and said she has no doubt she’d get back to the top, saying that her one-time Fed Cup teammate’s fighting instincts and drive to succeed were unparalleled.
While she’s only 22, given how much she’s earned since she won 2004 Wimbledon (well over $100 million), Sharapova could have packed it in post shoulder surgery and says that to date, she pleased with what she’s accomplished. But she realizes that she still has a lot to improve and that somewhere in the future, enticing battles lay ahead. She hasn’t played nearly enough tennis, or passed enough tests to satisfy her.
“I still have an opportunity to achieve a lot more. I’m proud of the way I’ve been able to come back. Many people can take that as a way out. I’ve had championships and money, but I want more. That’s why I’m still out there.”
While there’s little dispute with that contention, Sharapova’s game still has to return to its highest level if she going to be able to best the likes of the Williams sisters, one of whom, Venus, she could face in the Friday’s quarterfinals.
She’s still tinkering with her service motion, has a lot of work to do at the net and admits that she still not positive if her sound tennis legs have returned, but she’s well past the scratchy form she showed at Roland Garros and on Wednesday, looked about 10 times better than she did against Gisela Dulko at Wimbledon.
Sharapova is 3-2 against Venus, winning all three hardcourt matches and dropping two contests at Wimbledon. But Venus has major goals this summer and won’t be taken off the court as easily as Petrova did. It will be a stern test, to say the least.
“I’d love to play against her,” Sharapova said. “It’s always great to come back and play someone who’s at the top of the game and playing pretty well. I always relish playing the top players.”
Sharapova was joined in the second round by third seed Elena Dementieva, who crushed the erratic Maria Kirilenko 6-1, 6-2. Kirilenko appeared tired after her three hours and 24 minute victory over Anna Chakvetadze on Tuesday.
“I played some good points,” said Dementieva, who is traveling during the US circuit with Russian coach Andrei Cherkasov and her brother. “She has good variety in her game and can mix it up. But I tried to come in and take advantage of the net and her strategy didn’t have any effect on the outcome.”
Dementieva said that former Davis Cupper Cherkasov is helping her with her defensive game and getting a better rhythm on her strokes. She added that he was gentle and easy to work with and will work with her through the US Open. Her mother and head coach Vera, won’t arrive stateside until the USO.
NOTES: Sharapova’s father and coach, Yuri, is rehabbing a knee injury and is in Sochi, doing a bit of hiking, spending time with his parents and developing some businesses ahead of the Olympics. He may rejoin his daughter in Los Angeles next week and has been following her matches online and texting tips to her and touring coach Michael Joyce…Jelena Jankovic’s mother Snezana, just underwent surgery for an undetermined stomach problems. Her father father, Veselin, is at Stanford , the first time he’s taken a long trip with JJ in a long time. She says that unlike in previous years, he can actually watch matches from the stands without pulling his hair out…. Australia’s Samantha Stosur took down Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-1 7-5.
© TennisReporters.net 2009
