Sharapova has tough opener to win at Bank of the West Classic

Embed from Getty Images

Maria Sharapova finished her tough opening round match in fine form at the Bank of the West Classic Monday night. The former number one finished off Jennifer Brady in a quick third set to win 6-1, 4-6, 6-0 on Center Court at the Taube Family Tennis Center at Stanford University. The former number one concluded a two hour battle that saw her shake off the rust after two months away from competition.

The Russian superstar appears in the competition for the first time in over two months since returning to the sport after her 15 month suspension. Her comeback consisted of eight matches which she lost three including her final one in Rome back in May. Having to sit out of the French Open and Wimbledon, Sharapova prepared for the hard courts and her opening round match against the American. Brady kept local and payed three matches in Sacramento before showing up at Stanford. The UCLA tennis star had her eyes set on a bigger opponent but had the chance to show her strengths on service to deal out an upset on day one.

The struggles to play tough against were apparent quickly in the opening game as Sharapova took to the attack on the break. She was challenged on her opening serve in the second but forced deuce with Brady to come out ahead after two breaks. The hard hits began to come from the racket of Brady who reached 40-0 quickly on the serve. Despite the adversity, Sharapova rallied back to force deuce and win her third in a row.

It was a competition of hardest hits between the two as both put down winning shots that led them to another fight on deuce in the fourth. In the end, Brady took the game forcing the Russian to the baseline that made her returns very difficult to land across court. Despite ending the winning streak, her game was still on fire as she stayed ahead on the scoreboard and took a 4-1 lead on the 22 year old.

The sixth was a tug of war for the two players as Brady rallied to deuce while at times, Sharapova saved her end with the backhand. It remained a struggle in what was the longest game of the set reaching a few breaks but got it done with a winner. Brady was on the edge of losing out to Sharapova on three unforced errors followed by a double fault that concluded 37 minutes. In the seven games that spanned, Sharapova struggled on both sides of the serve with three double faults. Her efforts to win break points and a strong second return were enough to give her the leverage going into the second.

The momentum began instead with Brady earning a big win to start the set followed by her first hold of serve in the match. The American improved on the returning side of her game that helped her defend against the Russian. The tables were turned as Brady dictated with a 3-0 that sent Sven Groenveld to come out to speak to Sharapova who listened but said little to nothing in return.

She managed to pressure Brady to falter in the fourth ending the problems briefly. The former number one added a second win to her name gaining back control. The 30 year old leveled at three all with a powerful response on the break taking three break points before winning a third straight. The loss of ground concerned the American who wanted to get back on track by any means. In the seventh she reached 40-0 on the break but watched the former number one rally back. Brady avoided another force of deuce as Sharapova committed her sixth double fault to get back ahead on the scoreboard and try to consolidate on service.

With the set closer to a conclusion, the pressure was on Sharapova to act quickly to stop Brady from taking another step to press a deciding set. She won the important ninth game but still had work to do to keep her eyes on a straight sets victory. The former number one was very much showing struggles against the young player who continued to fight to get her way to play onward. Serving out the tenth, Brady made it a tough day for the Russian who had key unforced errors that resulted in both going to a final set.

Sharapova was first to act and did so with a win on serve that was just what she needed to remained a strengthened competitor. The 30 year old kept the heat on against Brady in the second delivering vicious shots. They were mirrored back at Sharapova but control was a problem late in the game that allowed her opponent back to deuce. It was the moment that gave the Russian a good footing to dictate on the break and take another one on the American.

The control remained in the hands of Sharapova who put together another service in the third to get halfway to the ultimate goal. Two games went quickly in the books giving the Russian powerhouse a huge 5-0 run that had Brady out of ideas on how to come back from such a large deficit. She was left with one final chance to stay alive with the serve in hand to try and avoid more than the dreaded bagel.

The 22 year old got into a tight spot with Sharapova as they reached deuce with one wrong move spelling trouble for Brady. It came on a double fault that gave Sharapova a second match point attempt sealing the deal to complete the two hour and two minute match. “She was able to play some great tennis,” Sharapova said to Andrew Krasny after the match. “I feel like I’m playing catch up against everyone who has already got a head start on me. All that matters is that I keep playing and ultimately the one that wins the last point. I get a chance to play another one and another one and hope that I continue.”

She’ll get the day off to prepare for her second round match up against Lesia Tsurkenko of Ukraine.

Wozniacki takes down Mertens to reach Ericsson Open final

Super drop shot from @CaroWozniacki! #EricssonOpen pic.twitter.com/ACgBCsci7G

— WTA (@WTA) July 29, 2017

Caroline Wozniacki had many Danish fans cheering in her semifinal win at the Ericsson Open Saturday. The world number six went the distance against Elise Mertens but inked her name in Sunday’s final winning 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 on Centre Court at the Bastad Tennis Stadium in Sweden. Wozniacki earned her fifth finals appearance this season in hopes to end her streak of coming up short for the title.

The popular Dane had a much easier pass into the semifinals dealing with Kateryna Kozlova swiftly in Friday’s straight sets win. The former number one allowed just four games to the Ukrainian before capping the day in 71 minutes to prepare for another first time meeting. Mertens was on the path of an odyssey playing nine consecutive sets to get to the semis. The effort was high for the Belgian who put in a lot of hard work to win. It wouldn’t get any easier as the world number six attempted to not only make it to a final but win a title for the first time this season.

The two started their match much later than expected which gave neither of them the opportunity. When they got underway, it was Merten’s who acted strongly with a fight on the break for deuce and held in the very next game. The need for a hold arrived soon for the Dane who held off the surge of Mertens in the third to get on the board. She remained a game down on the Belgian but the 21 year old held her ground to maintain the difficulty from both sides of her game.

The challenge was accepted by the former number one who after a talk with father/coach Ptor Wozniacki, dominated the Belgian winning the next eight points to lead 4-3. Just when it looked as if the tables had fully turned, the 21 year old matched Wozniacki in the eighth giving her opponent the indication of a long road ahead. They remained deadlocked all the way to ten games until the push from the former number one became the game changer. She put all her heart to control the pace and win the next to complete the set 7-5 finishing 48 minutes. The winners to errors ratio was even between the two players but the double faults from Bertens were enough to give Wozniacki the edge.

As the second set got underway, Wozniacki opened with a service hold followed by Mertens who was on a mission to once again lead early. She got the chance with a lob shot strategy that beat the Dane in the third to retain the lead. After the conclusion of the fifth, the 21 year old Belgian was still in front of the number one seed who saw that her day could go far if she didn’t find a way to deal with the offense. Mertens won another service hold capping the love service with a fourth ace of the match. It was her first sizable lead but short lived as she was stopped in her tracks with the Dane winning the seventh. Her fight for control on deuce lasted a few breaks but the experience paid off to get back on the winning edge and a chance to level.

Mertens played with strength to avoid having the score even with Wozniacki and delivered tricky shots in the rallies to gain back ground. The tough moment came when fighting for the set win on the break as the number one seed wanted to give nothing away for free to the 21 year old. She managed to force Wozniacki into deuce but couldn’t lock down the victory. She went on to serve and did it in the tenth with a strong hold to send both players to the distance. While it was a rough outing for both on double faults, they were very much on point with regulating the winners to unforced errors after one and a half hours of play.

Mertens was on a tear to fight for the opening game sending Wozniacki from side to side of the court where her response was quick to act. She took the game from the Belgian holding her off to start off right. Bertens got into the third set with a win on the break but for a time, it would be the last one she saw. The number one seed rallied to success with another paid of wins that had her coasting to the ultimate goal. Bertens put a stop to the short winning streak in the sixth but it wasn’t enough. Wozniacki took the next two games in stride to complete the two hour and seven minute bout that put her in a fifth tournament final this season.

It was the 42^nd win for her and the second of the tournament to go three sets. She’ll prepare to go for it all facing Czech star Katerina Siniakova who she has defeated twice in the recent past.

Wozniacki pulls off late edge of Parmentier at Ericsson Open

Caroline Wozniacki had another struggling time on court but came through to win at the Ericsson Open Tuesday. The number one seed had all sorts or challenges against Pauline Parmentier but managed to win 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 on Centre Court at the Bastad Tennis Stadium.

This was their second meeting on clay where the Dane easily defeated the French star in straight sets. Although that was nine years ago, times have changed significantly. Parmentier carried a heavy advantage playing in several matches since her first round loss at Wimbledon. Despite losing two of seven, the 21 year old was ready in her opening round match against the newly crowned world number six who had more than two weeks to prepare for the slight retraction back to the red clay.

Wozniacki had a challenge on her hands as Parmentier gained a footing early on to create a toughened stance. By the fourth game, the Dane began her march back placing the ball in spots that the French star couldn’t get to in time.  Despite having a fall during one of the games, the number one seed began racking up the breaks against Parmentier getting into a three all tie in the sixth.

It was a short fight, but by the end of deuce, Wozniacki had her game at a high level to dominate going forward. She took the next three games by storm earning the set after 34 minutes of play. While she had more unforced errors than Parmentier, the first serve of Wozniacki was the workhorse of her success that beat down her French opponent’s response.

The Dane pulled out some trick plays to begin the second set laying down returns in the rallies that gave her a four game winning streak on the break. Wozniacki remained firm with a 2-0 lead but the streak came to an end with a real effort from Parmentier who held for the first time since midway in the opening set. She suddenly found the angles to deliver against Wozniacki winning six consecutive points. Her offense on the break helped her reach a two all score with the number one seed hoping to climb back into the thick of the match.

By the fifth, Parmentier gained the lead over the Dane who struggled against the new form of the French star who once again attacked on the break. She won a third straight against the number one seed who began to show concern as she found herself in a hole. It only got worse as another hold for the 31 year old led her to a chance to force a third set with Wozniacki on the edge. She held serve against Parmentier but the inevitable came right after as the world number 99 clinched the set in 43 minutes with two set points that sent the match to its full distance.

The momentum Parmentier created for herself began to turn into a runaway early in the third as she took a 2-0 lead. Wozniacki and her camp were very much concerned with the score and a leg issue that the 27 year old had on court. She battled with the problem and found the energy to rally to three consecutive game winners to get out front. Wozniacki never let her foot off the gas as she dominated the French woman, show class in her offense that let her take the final set by storm winning her way to the second round. It was nearly a two hour struggle for the number one seed but she found her way to get through the troubles. She finished the day with 62 percent on the first serve despite having 40 unforced errors overall in her opening match. The former number one would hope to fix the issues before meeting Viktorija Golubic Thursday.