New York: Maria Sharapova extended her Grand Slam comeback when the former World No.1 came back from a one-set deficit to defeat Hungary’s Timea Babos 6-7(4-7), 6-4, 6-1 at the Flushing Meadows courts here Wednesday to advance to the third round of the US Open women’s singles.
Sharapova, who was granted a wildcard entry to the tournament, made too many unforced errors in a scrappy first set that featured six breaks of serve.
Once she found her groove midway through the second set, however, the 30-year-old, sporting a pale peach pink crystal-encrusted dress, eventually shone like a diamond, tossing Babos aside in a one-sided decider.
“It wasn’t my best tennis,” Sharapova said after the match. “It was scrappy tennis but sometimes those kind of matches are a lot of fun and this was one of those days.”
Sharapova, whose five Grand Slam titles include the 2006 US Open, played only one Open tune-up match after a forearm injury but wore down Simona Halep and Babos to prove she’s a threat for a deep run, with Latvian 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova her top-ranked potential semifinal obstacle.
Meanwhile Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza reached broke the ‘curse’ and reached the US Open third round for the first time by beating China’s 92nd-ranked Duan Ying-Ying 6-4, 6-0.
“I had like a curse and I broke it finally. I’m so happy,” Muguruza said. “I just put the heart on the court. I knew I had to be all the time fighting for the ball and in the end I won.”
Russian eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion, saved three match points in defeating 67th-ranked Czech Marketa Vondrousova 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) to reach the second round. Ukraine’s fourth-seeded Elina Svitolina did as well, downing Czech Katerina Siniakova 6-0, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3.
Another top spot hopeful is seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, the 37-year-old US ninth seed who beat France’s Oceane Dodin 7-5, 6-4.
At a glance
Maria Sharapova bt Timea Babos 6-7(4-7), 6-4, 6-1
Venus Williams bt Oceane Dodin 7-5, 6-4
Agencies
