Maria Sharapova endured some tough resistance from Ekaterina Makarova before coming through 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, in the second round of the China Open in Beijing.
Heading into the match the former world No.1 had a dominant head-to-head record against her opponent of 7-0. Out of those seven wins, the six most recent has been in straight sets. This time round things were different for Sharapova. She was facing a gutsy and determined Makarova, who recently reached the quarter-finals of the Wuhan Open last week.
Playing in only her second match since the US Open, there was some inevitable rust in Sharapova’s game. Illustrated by a roller coaster opening set where was broken three times before fighting back to clinch the 6-4 lead.
Makarova responded by doing something she hasn’t achieved since the 2011 Madrid Open by taking a set off of Sharapova. The flat hitting from the world No.33 allowed her to dominate some of the rallies on route to a 4-1 lead in the second set. Sharapova managed to retrieve one of those breaks, but Makarova maintained the edge as she forced a decider with the help of a Sharapova error on set point.
Despite the mid-match blip, the five-time grand slam champion responded in clinical fashion. Increasing her level further, the power and intensity of Sharapova proved too much for her opponent. Hitting the ball deep towards the baseline, she drew the errors from Makarova. Avoiding the danger, Sharapova closed the match out with a love service game. Sealing the win with the help of an unreturned serve out wide.
“I though the level of tennis was quite high.” Sharapova said during her on-court interview. “I had a few breaks in the first (set). I felt like, despite losing the second set, I was motivated to start the third. I was the more aggressive player in the end and I started to read her patterns a little bit.”
A former champion in Beijing back in 2014, Sharapova is relishing her return to the tournament following her 15-month doping ban. Against Makarova, she managed to produce eight aces and converted seven out of her nine break point opportunities.
“It’s just a special feeling to be back.” She said. “It has been a few years since I have been back in Beijing. The last time I played on the centre court before my first round (earlier this week) was my victory in this tournament.”
Sharapova could next face a rematch against Simona Halep, who she defeated at the US Open. Halep plays Magdaléna Rybáriková in her second round match.
