Maria Sharapova just a win away to reclaim her throne from Victoria Azarenka – Tennis News
World number two, Maria Sharapova, has the second opportunity this year to become the number one player in the world on Thursday. She is on a 10-match unbeaten run and if she manages to squeeze on more triumph against the fourth seed Czech, Petra Kvitova, in the semi-final of the Roland Garros French Open, she will swap the ranking with the Belarusian tennis ace, Victoria Azarenka.
The Russian has been looking for such an opportunity ever since she dethroned from that number one spot in May 2008. She had an opportunity earlier this year in the final of the Australian Open but the Belarusian superstar, Azarenka, proved quite a tough contender and slaughtered her in straight sets registering a second set bagel. It was a disappointing end to a promising start for the year but the Russian didn’t look back and continue to reach the advance stages of almost all the tournament she participated.
Her clay court form clicked in Stuttgart when she lifted the title after hammering Azarenka to straight sets loss in the final. She was looking good in Madrid but fell to the American number one, Serena Williams, who later on lifted the title. Despite that agonizing loss, the Russian number one returned to Rome to defend her title.
She lost just one set throughout her title defence and that was in the final against the Chinese number one, Li Na. Apart from that she was hardly tested at all. Since then she has been invincible, winning matches after matches; started the French Open campaign with a double bagel and lost just five games in the following two rounds.
Answering a question on rising to the number one spot with a possible win on Thursday, Sharapova said, “It's nice to be in this position again. It's my third time in the semi-finals here. Petra's an extremely tough opponent, someone I have had good success against in our last couple of meetings, but they're always tough matches. The last one in Stuttgart was a tough two-setter for me - she had opportunities in that second set and when she's confident, she's dangerous.”
Her fellow quarter-finalist, Kaia Kanepi, chose her to be the tournament favourite. The Estonian said, “I think Maria can win the tournament. Of course anyone who is in the semis has a chance, but she's playing so well and is in very good form right now."
It’s clear that the Russian will not hold back on Thursday. Now everything is in Sharapova’s court and she needs to clasp on to this opportunity for a greater good.
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