Maria Sharapova struggles past Arantxa Rus to advance at the Mutua Madrid Open
Eighth seeded Russian Maria Sharapova bounced back from a set down to win by a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 mouth watering match against the Dutch wild card entrant, Arantxa Rus. After winning this match on Sunday, she advanced to the second round of the 2011 Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open where she will face her fellow countrywoman Ekaterina Makarova.
Former world number one Sharapova hasn’t had much activity this season so far but she reached far in the tournaments she entered. Sharapova made a quarter-final berth at Auckland, reached semi-finals at Indian Wells and made a final berth at Miami before entering this WTA Premier Mandatory event.
She stormed at Park Manzanares and downed Rus in her opening match in two hours on their first meeting.
20-year-old Rus made quick in-roads in the opening set and broke the Russian’s serve three times to win the first set with an assuring 6-2 score line. The Dutch hasn’t had much progress this season so far and was ousted from qualifiers or opening rounds at the WTA events she entered. However, she displayed magnificent skills at ITF tournaments as she reached final at Stockholm and made a quarter-final berth at Nassau.
The Dutchwoman produced a much higher first serve share of 88 percent as compared to Russian’s 68 percent and registered a convincing 61 percent win on it. She saved three out of four breakpoints faced and converted three out of four breakpoint opportunities to her advantage to win the opener easily.
World number nine Sharapova got back on track in the second set as she raised her level of game. She won the first game by keeping her serve plausibly and had a much higher first serve share of 83 percent as opposed to Rus’s 57 percent. The Russian also earned an impressive 67 percent win on it and clobbered zero double faults. Though she failed to save the only breakpoint faced, Sharapova converted three out of four breakpoint opportunities to her advantage to clinch the equaliser with a 6-3 win.
The Russian kept her winning momentum into the second set and showed her top notch performance. Although she lost her serve once, the seed converted three out of six breakpoint opportunities to her advantage to seal the set by winning six games to Rus’ two.
“She started well and playing aggressive,” said the Russian, already training for a week in Madrid.
“I was the tentative one and she took advantage….But I’m happy I was able to turn it around. It was my first match on clay in some time (almost a year). I was in a similar situation here last year and I lost.” The beaming Sharapova added, “I’m happy I came back for the win.”
Up next for the Russian is her countrywoman, Ekaterina Makarova who dumped Belgian Yanina Wickmayer in straight sets to reach this spot.
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