(June 1, 2013) After and easy first set defending champion Maria Sharapova had to fight to close out the match in two sets 6-1, 7-5 over Zheng Jie on Saturday at Roland Garros.
For the No. 2 seed it was the third straight day on the court due to her rain-delayed second round match was pushed into Friday.
After an easy 6-1 first set, Zheng jumped out to a two break lead 4-1. The Russian came back to even the set at 4-4 and then dropped serve for 4-5. Zheng lost serve while attempting to even the match at 1 set all and Sharapova moved thought the next two games to close the match.
Sharapova, who hit 8 double-faults during the match, disputed a double-fault call. “It hit the outside line,” she told the chair umpire. The umpire did not change the call which proved to be incorrect.
“Well, first of all, it’s not even about the fact of the call, whether it was in and out ‑‑ or out,” said Sharapova. “I think for me it was the fact that the umpire did not recognize that the mark he pointed out was about a foot away from the actual mark. So that’s a huge question mark, to begin with.
“Second of all, yes, all the other Grand Slams have Hawk‑Eye. And I know these types of situations, although much more rarely on the clay, happen. Why not? Why don’t we have a system like this? I mean, is it a money concern? I don’t think so.
“This is just absolute proof that, you know, it’s a big point and it can happen in any situation.”
Sharapova is into the round of 16 where she’ll play American Sloane Stephens.
“I’m happy with the way I fought back and I found a way to win,” said Sharapova.
No. 3 Victoria Azarenka hit 10 double-faults and had her serve broken six times in her three set win over Alize Cornet 4-6, 6-3, 6-1..
“I think I left it home today,” Azarenka said of her serve. “If I can win with serving like this, that’s pretty remarkable.”
“It was a tough match,” Azarekna continued. “I don’t think I played really the right way or, you know, I was playing my best way, taking my chances in the first set. And she definitely took advantage of that and really took chances on the important moments, which I didn’t.
“You know, I felt like I had to close a lot of my opportunities in the first set, and it didn’t go my way.
“But it was important to turn things around and finally start playing the right way in the second set, because I felt that I was playing very comfortable for her, and she started to, you know, make a lot of winners, you know, fight and make a lot of balls.
“So I changed that a little bit in the second set and really took my chances moving forward and continued to stay aggressive, and that’s what was bringing me after the points and the victory in the end.”
Azarenka will get former French Open titlist Francesca Schiavone in the next round.
Francesca Schiavone dominated 13th seed Marion Bartoli 6-2, 6-1 to reach the fourth round of the French Open on Saturday.
It was a total obliteration by the 2010 Roland Garros winner. The Italian broke the top Frenchwoman’s serve five times, with 31 winners overall.
“On clay she’s always very dangerous and she won a clay court tournament again this year and this is a surface that suits her,” said Bartoli.
“When she starts winning matches and becomes more confident, then she can be very dangerous. So maybe she can sort out Azarenka and then if she arrives in the quarter-finals, who knows what can happen?”