Maria’s Open prep runs like clockwork

COMEBACK queen Maria Sharapova continued her Australian Open preparations yesterday, concentrating on nailing ground strokes in a gruelling coaching session.

The Russian star, who has made the final at the year’s opening Grand Slam three times, will make her return to the event after missing last year’s tournament as she served a 15-month drug suspension in the wake of a failed test at the 2016 event.

She worked under the

The 18-year-old wildcard progressed to the second round yesterday with a gruelling 7-5 7-6 (11-9) victory over Serbian qualifier Nina Stojanovic.

Fourlis was knocked out in round one at Hobart in 2017 in her first WTA tournament but watchful eye of coach Sven Groeneveld, with ground strokes a focus for lengthy periods in a session that ran like clockwork – literally.

Groeneveld donned an has gone one better on the second attempt.

She’s the sole Australian remaining in the main draw after countrywoman Lizette Cabrera was eliminated on Sunday.

Fourlis took more than two hours to get past Stojanovic, Apple watch and another team member was on stopwatch duties as the 2008 Australian Open champ (pictured), 30, hit continuously in two-minute blocks as her coach encouraged her to “really accelerate” but maintain consistency rather than go for winners.

Her Open lead-in included last week’s Shenzhen Open, where she made the semi-finals before a 6-2 3-6 6-3 loss to Katerina Siniakova.

After arriving in Melbourne on the weekend, Sharapova – ranked 47th and rated a $10 chance with bookmakers to who saved two match points in a tense second-set tiebreak.

“I thought I really knuckled down when I needed to,” Fourlis said. “That was something I discussed with my coach, to keep trusting my game.”

Fourlis, who earned an Aus- claim glory at Melbourne Park – has already made the most of the city’s booming food scene, with a meal of dim sum in the CBD one of her first stops.

The women’s draw – already without last year’s champion Serena Williams – took another hit yesterday, with two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka forced to withdraw after being awarded a discretionary wildcard in December.

“It’s unfortunate that Azarenka is unable to travel to Australia this year. The Australian Open is her favourite tralian Open wildcard last month, reached a career-high ranking of No.271 last year.

She’ll meet 2015 Hobart champion Heather Watson in the second round after the Brit upset third-seed Romanian Sorana Cirstea in straight sets. tournament and she’s looking forward to returning to Melbourne next year,” said tournament director Craig Tiley.

The 28-year-old Belarussian’s Open chances had been in doubt in recent weeks due to an ongoing custody dispute with her former partner over her infant son Leo.

Azarenka has not played since Wimbledon in July because she cannot leave California with her son until the dispute ends.

The final wildcard was awarded to Croatian Australian Ajla Tomljanovic.