Comeback queen eases into semis
SHARAPOVA: RETURNING STAR CHASING THIRD TITLE
Qualifier no match for five-time Grand Slam champion.
Maria Sharapova went through to the semifinals of Stuttgart’s WTA tournament after seeing off qualifier Anett Kontaveit yesterday for her third-straight win on her comeback after a 15-month doping ban.
The 30-year-old five-time Grand Slam winner has yet to drop a set and powered past Estonia’s Kontaveit, ranked 73rd, for a 6-3, 6-4 quarterfinal win in one hour, 23 minutes.
This was another impressive display from the Russian, who hit four aces, 28 winners and just two double faults, while she converted five of her six break points.
“I served well and held my serve, so I’m happy,” said Sharapova.
“We haven’t played each other before, so the first six games were just about working each other out.
“I kept myself in good shape, because once you lose it, it’s hard to get it back,” she added when asked about her fitness on court after 15 months out.
The former world No 1 will now play either France’s Kristina Mladenovic or Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro in today’s semifinal.
She has been in commanding form on clay here as Sharapova waits to learn on May 16 whether she will be granted a wild card to play in next month’s French Open.
Kontaveit, 21, had already knocked out fifth seed Garbine Muguruza in the second round.
The Estonian put up a fight, breaking Sharapova’s serve in the second set and matched the Russian’s tally of four aces.
But Sharapova broke Kontaveit’s serve on the way to winning all of the last four games to take the first set in just 36 minutes.
The Estonian dug deep at 3-1 down in the second and broke Sharapova in the fifth game.
But Sharapova broke her opponent straight away, then held her serve to go 5-2 up.
Kontaveit held her serve, then broke the Russian for the second time, but Sharapova broke her again for the victory. – AFP