Russian cutie pie, Maria Sharapova, is back in Grand Slam action playing in the 2009 French Open. Sharapova passed her first test, defeating No. 64 ranked Anastasia Yakimova of Belarus. Sharapova got off to a slow start resulting in a 3-set match, but came out on top 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Sharapova is just 2-1 in singles action this year. She won two rounds of the Warsaw Open just recently, then lost in the Quarterfinals. This is only the second tournament in which she has played singles this year due to a shoulder injury she has been nursing since about mid-season last year.
The second round at this French Open will provide a much bigger test, as she will be pitted against fellow Russian, No. 11 ranked Nadia Petrova. Petrova had an easy 1st-round win over 18-year-old Lauran Embree of the USA, 6-1, 6-2.
Is Sharapova really back? We’re about to find out if the long lay off hurt Sharapova’s game for good, or if she will be able to fight her way back to the form she had when she first earned the No. 1 world ranking back in 2005, or the form which gave her the championship at the Australian Open in 2008. We hope she can get back to winning form. Sharapova is good for the game of tennis!
