Sharapova overcomes a slow start to book a place in the third round
Thursday 31 August 2017 06:53, UK
Maria Sharapova was forced to fight back from a set down against Timea Babos to reach the third round of the US Open on Wednesday.
The Russian wildcard was back on Arthur Ashe Stadium court where she edged world No 2 Simona Halep on Monday night in her return to Grand Slam tennis from her doping ban and she was involved in another scrap before winning 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-1.
The 2006 champion fired 12 aces with 39 winners and 36 unforced errors. She will now face either Sofia Kenin or Sachia Vickery, both of the United States, for a place in the last 16.
"It was definitely tough to control the emotions yesterday, because as much as you want to be happy about the match and what I accomplished there, you want to move on fast," Sharapova said.
"Finding that balance is hard. I just wanted to get it done today, and I did. It wasn't my best tennis. I felt like it was a scrappy match but some of those days can be the best, when you get through and give yourself another chance.
"Every day that I have another chance to play out here at the US Open is a special day."
However the news for Caroline Wozniacki was not so good as the two-time Flushing Meadows finalist was beaten in three sets by Ekaterina Makarova - defeat for the fifth seed means five of the top 11 seeds have now crashed out.
Wozniacki was one of eight women who started the year's final major with a chance to leaving it as the world No 1 and having arrived in New York in good form and with a good record hopes were high.
However having fought back to level the match via a second set tie-break she folded in the final set to allow her opponent to reel off the first five games of the set and seal a 6-2 6-7 6-1 victory.
Eugenie Bouchard slumped to a 7-6 (7-2) 6-1 loss to Russia's Evgeniya Rodina with the Canadian hitting 46 unforced errors in an ugly snapshot of her season so far.
"It's one of those matches you kind of want to forget about," said the 23-year-old Bouchard. "I know obviously the unforced error count was a bit too high, especially at the end of that first set. Yeah, I just didn't really know what to do out there."
Romania's Monica Niculescu dispatched Kristina Mladenovic 6-3 6-2, with the Frenchwoman saying afterwards: "Physically, I'm in good shape, but it was not enough. I would have needed a round or two to get things started again."
Eighth-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova saved three match points before securing a 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2) victory over Czech Marketa Vondrousova.
American Coco Vandeweghe came back from a set down to claim a 2-6 6-3 6-4 success over compatriot Alison Riske.
Vandeweghe, coached by 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, fired 31 winners to book a second-round meeting with Tunisia's Ons Jabeur.
Fourth seed Elina Svitolina resumed her match against Katerina Siniakova after rain had suspended play in the second-set tie-break on Tuesday and eventually prevailed 6-0 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 while Agnieszka Radwanska, Daria Gavrilova and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova also progressed.
Sky Sports Tennis will have all the action from the US Open covered via our website sky.mnosports.com/tennis with our live blogs and updates throughout the fortnight as the Grand Slam year reaches its climax.
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