Sharapova in winning Rome start
MARIA Sharapova solidified her comeback to tennis on Monday as the former No1 overcame a slow start to win her opening match at the Rome Masters, beating Christina McHale 6-4, 6-2.
The five-time Grand Slam winner went down a quick break in the first set before revving up to claim the opener while playing in her third event since last month’s end of a 15-month doping ban.
“It felt slow and the conditions are quite different to Madrid,” the three-time Italian Open champion.
“It certainly took a few more games than I would have liked to get used to. But once I did, I felt like I took care of the second set quite well.”
The Russian advanced to the second round at the sundrenched Foro Italico as she beat McHale for a fifth time without defeat. Her ranking has recovered into the 200s and a semifinal this week would put her into the main draw for Wimbledon.
Sharapova came through a hiccup near the end, losing serve as she prepared to wrap it up while leading 5-1, but she recovered in the next game to emerge the winner.
“At t his point it’s week to week. I certainly have expectations of myself, just because when you have accomplished things and when you have won big events and you have been No1, you know t hat feeling.
“That feeling ultimately stays inside of you and you know how good it feels and you know what you work for.
“I would love to experience those feelings again. Of course, that is my goal. Every week is important, and I treat every match – you know, I might have not played my best tennis, but I set up an opportunity to play another match and to hopefully improve in that match, and that’s what I need.”
The match began unsteadily, with three breaks of serve in the first 17 minutes, McHale taking an early 3-1 lead. But the rhythm steadied as the experienced Sharapova pegged back her opponent and got to work to sweep the first set from the back foot.
Sharapova is playing Rome for the ninth time, winning the title in 2011, 2012 and two years ago – with the 30-yearold holding 11 WTA tour-level titles on clay.
In the men’s first round, ninth seed David Goffin beat Thomaz Bellucci 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4 and American Sam Querrey upset French 11th seed Lucas Pouille 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (10/8).
Fereder to skip Garros
Tomas Berdych, ranked at No12, defeated German Mischa Zverev 7-6 (9-7), 6-4, and Jan-Lennard Struff put out Australian Bernard Tomic 6-7 (6-8), 6-1, 6-4.
Former US Open winner Juan Martin del Potro staged a comeback to oust Grigor Dimitrov 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, winning with seven aces after more than two hours.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer announced on Monday that he will skip Roland Garros to better prepare for the grass and hard court seasons.
The 18-time Grand Slam winner has won the French Open, contested on clay, just once in 2009 and also pulled out of the event through injury last year.
“I’ve been working really hard, both on and off the court, during the last month, but in order to try and play on the ATP World Tour for many years to come, I feel it’s best to skip the clay court season this year and prepare for the grass and hard court seasons,” said the 35-year-old, currently ranked world No5.