It appears that Russian tennis cutie pie, Maria Sharapova, is back. After her first round 3-set victory over No. 64 ranked Anastasia Yakimova of Belarus, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, it was questionable how well she would do against her 2nd round opponent, fellow Russian No. 11 ranked Nadia Petrova.
However, Sharapova proved to be up to the task, and after a hard-fought 3-set match, Sharapova came out on top 6-2, 1-6, 8-6. She was a break down in the 3rd set, but obviously she still has the will to win. She fought back, and as Petrova’s final shot went out in the corner of the court, there was a brief tear of disbelief in Sharapova’s eyes as she realized she had just won the match.
After the usual shaking hands with opponents and chair umpire, it was good to see Sharapova back to her tradition of marking important victories by blowing kisses at the spectators and writing on the television lens.
So the Sharapova show goes on at the clay courts of Paris. Who knows how far she will get at this French Open? Whatever happens here, she has shown us that, despite about 10 months off while recovering from a shoulder injury and surgery, she is back with determination and the mental fortitude and will to win that previously vaulted her to No. 1. She is currently ranked No. 102. That won’t last long. Sharapova is on her way back up.
