Sharapova stops Kasatkina, Kerber falls at first hurdle
MONTREAL: Maria Sharapova fired 25 winners past hapless Russian compatriot Daria Kasatkina in a 6-0, 6-2 victory at the rainhit Montreal WTA event on Wednesday, but Angelique Kerber’s first match since capturing the Wimbledon title ended in a sobering defeat.
Sharapova needed just 66 minutes to see off 12th-seeded Kasatkina in an impressive and timely display of big-hitting, with the US Open getting underway in just under three weeks’ time.
“I came on court having a lot of respect for my opponent because she’s up and coming but has already established herself,” said the 31-year-old Sharapova. “I knew I had a tough match ahead of me. I was focused from the beginning and I finished it that way.”
Kasatkina, 21, managed just three winners in the match.
Sharapova next faces French sixth seed Caroline Garcia for a place in the quarter-finals.
World No.4 Kerber, playing for the first time since defeating Serena Williams in last month’s Wimbledon title showdown, slumped to a 6-4, 6-1 loss to Alize Cornet of France.
German left-hander Kerber committed 32 unforced errors against the 34th-ranked Cornet in her 85-minute second round exit.
Cornet, 28, goes on to face Ashleigh Barty of Australia in the third round. It was her second successive victory against Kerber having also triumphed on hard courts in Beijing last year.
“It was my first match after three weeks now,” said Kerber. “It’s not always so easy to change the surface. I think I need a little bit more time to get used to hard courts again.”
Barty, the Australian 15th seed, defeated Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 while recently-married Czech ninth seed Karolina Pliskova suffered a 6-2, 6-2 defeat at the hands of Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands.
Fifth seed and defending champion Elina Svitolina went through to the third round after in-form Romanian opponent Mihaela Buzarnescu was forced to retire with an ankle injury.
Svitolina was leading 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 4-3 when the weekend San Jose champion turned her ankle and was forced to leave the court in a wheelchair and in floods of tears.
US Open champion and third seed Sloane Stephens also made the third round by seeing off home hope Francoise Abanda 6-0, 6-2.
PENG BANNED AND FINED
China’s former world No.1 doubles star Peng Shuai was banned for six months and fined US$10,000 on Wednesday for attempting to force her doubles partner to withdraw from Wimbledon in 2017, the Tennis Integrity Unit announced.
“Peng Shuai was found to have used coercion and offered the possibility of financial reward in return for her main draw partner agreeing to withdraw from the ladies doubles event at Wimbledon 2017,” the TIU said in a statement.
“Although the offer was refused and Peng Shuai did not subsequently compete at The Championships, it constituted a breach of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).”
Peng’s attempt to change her doubles partner came after the sign-in deadline.
Peng, 32, was banned for six months, with three suspended, and fined $10,000, with $5,000 suspended, on condition that she commits no further breaches of the anti-corruption code.
She will be eligible to play again on Nov 8 this year.