Former world No.1 Maria Sharapova has returned back to the winner’s circle after defeating Wimbledon quarter-finalist Alison Riske in straight sets at the Western and Southern Open.
Sharapova, who last won a match almost two months ago, held her nerve to edge out the American 6-3, 7-6(4). Grabbing her first win over a top 40 player since Caroline Wozniacki at the Australian Open back in January. During the match, the Russian battled back from 0-3 down in the second set before prevailing on her fourth match point opportunity. Overall, Sharapova won 62% of her first service points and 51% of her second.
“I think I persevered through the second set. I think that was really important.” Wtatennis.com quoted Sharapova as saying.
“I think she’s a really tough opponent deep in the third sets,’
“I think she’s had some of her best results this summer and she’s dangerous, especially in the early rounds when you haven’t played a lot of matches and she has.
“I was excited about it, and I took on the challenge and I found a way.”
This week is the seventh tournament Sharapova has played in 2019. Her season has been partly derailed by a shoulder injury, which put her out of action for more than four months. She was also forced to retire from her first round match at Wimbledon due to a forearm injury.
“I think the repetition that I’m putting in and feeling it, feeling a little bit better in terms of just speed and the strength in my arm,” she explained.
“I think that’s a big part of — in general, the recovery from all that I have done with the shoulder is just to get that repetition and then really believe in my shoulder, you know, deep, an hour, two, an hour, three, if that’s what it takes.”
Awaiting the five-time grand slam champion next in Cincinnati will be French Open champion Ash Barty. The Australian recently lost her No.1 position to Naomi Osaka, but could reclaim it this week.
“It’s not an easy match and really not an easy match-up for me. I think she does a lot of things well. She’s a tricky opponent,” Sharapova said of Barty.
“We had a really tough one in Australia, and ever since then she’s been on a roll. She’s been dominating. She’s one of the few players that have really dominated and has been impressive to see.”
Should Sharapova defeat Barty, it would be the first time she has beaten a top two player since Simona Halep at the 2017 US Open. Their head-to-head is currently tied at 1-1.
