Maria Sharapova vs. Ana Ivanovic: Third round preview – Internazionali BNL d’Italia 2012
All eyes are anxiously waiting to see two of the most gorgeous beauty queens in the tennis world compete against each other on the clay courts of Rome this week. Yes, the world number two, Maria Sharapova is all set to take on
the 13th seed Serbian diva, Ana Ivanovic, in the third round clash of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
The highly anticipated competition will be featured on the outdoor clay courts Foro Italico on Thursday and the winner will secure a berth in the quarter-finals of the coveted WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Premier 5 event in
Rome.
Both these contenders have ruled the tennis world in their prime. The class and skills of these two ladies are unmatchable to any other tennis player and a gruelling battle is witnessed every time they go one-on-one against each
other on a tennis court. Although Sharapova is holding the world number two spot and deemed to be the hot favourite for defending her championship title in Rome, she will not get an easy passage through Ivanovic in the third round.
Sharapova leads 4-2 in the head-to-head series against the Serbian diva. She had outmuscled Ivanovic on three consecutive previous occurrences and it is anticipated that the belligerent Russian will sustain her winning impetus
against the Serbian on Thursday too. Ivanovic had defeated the former world number two, Svetlana Kuznetsova, in the opening round and then Silvia Soler-Espinosa in the second round to book a date with the second seed Sharapova. She was pretty confident for
her upcoming encounter with the current world number two.
"It's nice to get back-to-back wins here, especially after a tough first round against Svetlana," Ivanovic said after winning her second round contest. "The next one will be even tougher. Maria and I had a great first set in Indian
Wells before I had to retire, and she has been playing better and better on clay. But I'm playing well right now too. I hope we can take the level up."
It is a fact that when these two elegant ladies step on a tennis court together, it becomes more than just a game. The charm and ravishing beauty of these two divas has engulfed a huge fan base all over the world. The ear-deafening
grunts of Sharapova and the elegant game play of Ivanovic makes the combat between these two totally different from any other match. No matter who wins the clash on Thursday, one thing is sure that millions of tennis lovers will be stuck on their television
screens to watch every moment of this match.
The second seed Russian has been in sublime form this circuit but has missed out a number of title-winning opportunities as well. Sharapova is the defending champion in Rome and with the world number one, Victoria Azarenka and
the sixth seed Dane, Caroline Wozniacki, pulling out of the tournament draw, it seems a perfect opportunity for the Russian to lift her 26th championship title. She has another priceless opportunity to reclaim the world number one spot by winning
the Rome crown.
A taxing battle is anticipated between these two on Thursday but certainly Sharapova is the hot favourite for winning. Ivanovic will not be easy bait for her and the Russian had to manoeuvre her way to victory with guile and precise
hitting.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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