Maria Sharapova was back and played comfortably at the Italian Open Monday. The 2015 champion took care of business against Christina McHale winning 6-4, 6-2 on Center Court at Foro Italico in Rome. It was the fifth win against the American and one that put her in a familiar spot in the second round.
The series between the two stands as a runaway in favor of the Russian who won their last four meetings. Two came in Madrid giving Sharapova the heavy advantage of winning in Rome. The target on her back once again comes to action as another tournament granted her a wild card spot in their weeklong draw.
Sharapova has gone 0-2 since returning from suspension with a defeat by Eugenie Bouchard who had everything going her way in the second round. The three time champion at Foro Italico was ready to make her mark and bring her best against McHale if the early part of the match went her way. The American leaves that to be decided having lost her last four since Miami.
She came out in the opening set getting beyond the breaks to take a 3-1 run of Sharapova. Just when it looked as if a lopsided event would occur. The 30 year old superstar rallied back to three all and turn the game to go her way. They remained in a four all tie until the Russian found her way to execute a strengthening offense that gave her a 6-4 victory for the set that took 51 minutes. Sharapova’s three double faults explained her early struggles that ended the set with a 48 percent success on the serve. The increase of winners and power against the American had her finding the right track.
The second was her push to dictate early gaining a 2-0 run showing plenty of comfort going forward. In the third she had a solid love service that had her hitting the marks and intent on going for it all. Her attempts to go for the break were foiled by McHale who didn’t want the margin to get any bigger than it already was. The 25 year old fought on deuce to win it after a couple of breaks and get on the board. Despite the efforts, Sharapova was still on point when serving across court producing another hold to keep the gap at three games.
The former number one took a commanding 5-1 lead routing McHale with terrific ground strokes on the returns that had her on lock to serve for the match in the seventh. The unforced errors were a problem for the Russian who couldn’t keep the American at bay. McHale did all she could on the returns to play every point coming out victorious. It was the last win she would get in Rome as Sharapova got the match win after 1 hour and 35 minutes.
The winners clearly helped the Russian maintain stability in her first round victory that helped subside the double faults and unforced errors throughout. While it wasn’t one of her cleanest games, she’ll have to bring the fight as she meets Mirjana Lucic-Baroni for a second straight tournament. Last week the Croatian gave her a long drawn out fight on court and would likely bring it again on Wednesday.
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