Maria Sharapova won tennis’s noisiest battle today when she sealed another French Open final appearance with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 victory over world number three Victoria Azarenka.
Accompanied by ear-splitting shrieks, the two of them traded ferocious blows before the defending champion finally prevailed after overcoming a late bout of nerves to finish off a dangerous opponent.
The quality of play they managed between the rain interruptions meant that the sometimes disapproving crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier were able to concentrate on the actual tennis.
With both players trying to assert themselves and play ‘first strike’ tennis when the opportunity arose the rallies were relatively short, with the Russian just outpointing the Australian Open champion.
Having got ahead for 5-2 in the deciding set Sharapova tightened up and was broken, but at the second time of asking she summoned up her best serving and closed the match out in two hours and ten minutes with a twelfth ace of the match.
"I'm really happy with the way I came out from playing a tough match yesterday. I wish I could have carried that through in two - but I did the job and I'm happy from where I was in the beginning of the tournament to where I am today," Sharapova told a news conference.
The Russian will now meet Serena Williams who was in no mood to hang around at Roland Garros as she walloped 2012 runner-up Sara Errani 6-0 6-1 to reach the French Open final for the first time since 2002.
The American world number one ran away with the match in 46 spellbinding minutes as she completed the most one sided semi-final win at the claycourt grand slam since compatriot Chris Evert whitewashed Camille Benjamin 6-0 6-0 in 1984.
Williams, who owns only one Suzanne Lenglen Cup among her 15 grand slam trophies, left the Italian down and out after producing 40 screaming winners.
Na real battle of the grunters... i wore earpiece truout d match
ReplyDeleteIts just too easy for erena.. dont cry for Sharapova
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