Maria Sharapova overcame a brief lapse which cost her the second set before storming through for a 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-0 win over Lauren Davis to reach the second week of the Australian Open on Friday.
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The fifth-seeded Sharapova fired 21 aces and hit 58 winners but needed 2 hours, 5 minutes to beat Bencic on her second match point, converting it with a successful challenge after her forehand was initially called long but getting it overturned when the ball tracker showed it hitting the baseline. In the first set she made 61% of her first serves winning 82% of the points.
“Oh, wow, I’ve won 600 matches?” the 28-year-old said. “I’m just glad I got through”. So, I’ve always wondered how these men and women react when they’ve done all their workouts and conditioning and eating, preparing for a time to play, and then have it ripped out from under them because of a surprise in the match before.
“I played a quality player who took out Federer last year here and who has been on the tour for many years”, Djokovic said.
A younger version of herself was convinced she would be a mother by now.
Williams’ loss to Vinci ended her bid for a calendar-year Grand Slam in 2015, just two wins short after claiming the titles at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon.
She now faces, an inter-generational battle against 12th seed Bencic. I think Dasher is simply on a roll, and it’s not stopping now.
But Sharapova will not look past Bencic.
Sharapova played the finals of the Australian Open last season.
“Yeah, an impressive player”, said Sharapova.
Top-ranked Williams is still in contention in Melbourne, set to play her third-round match later Friday against Daria Kasatkina of Russian Federation.
“It’s a tough fourth round”.
Her personal life remains out of bounds, although she most recently had a relationship with fellow player Grigor Dimitrov.
This was the first meeting between rising star Davis and accomplished performer Sharapova.
Since bursting onto the scene in her professional debut one week after her 14th birthday in 2011, she has raced through the rankings from 1,059 to world No. 14. “It was a big deal for me. She was fearless”, Williams said. “He just really opened the door to my dream”. The five-time Grand Slam victor hadn’t dropped a set into the third round but struggled a bit before beating 22-year-old Lauren Davis 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-0. While Williams’ form has been good, it hasn’t drawn quite the same attention as her bright yellow crop top and pleated mini-skirt.
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Easily outstripping her previous second round best at the tournament, Bencic also became the first Swiss woman to reach the fourth round at Melbourne Park since her mentor Martina Hingis and Patty Schnyder in 2007.
