(June 28, 2014) WIMBLEDON – The second match under the comforts of the roof of Centre Court at Wimbledon on Saturday featured No. 5 Maria Sharapova against American Alison Riske as rain continued to fall keeping the outer courts inactive.
The feisty Riske jumped off to a 2-0 lead, breaking her Russian opponent in the second game. Serving at 3-2, Riske could not close on game point chance and she double-faulted on break point give the break back to Sharapova.
“On grass things happen much quicker than maybe on other surfaces, Sharapova said. “You find yourself down a break. She served extremely well in the beginning. Didn’t read her serve.
“As I started getting more balls back, getting myself back in position, I felt like she had to go for a little bit more on her first serve and had a little more pressure, whereas in the beginning of the set she got a lot of free points. That automatically gives her a lot of confidence when she steps on the line.
“Those are the types of things you try to impose on your opponent if you’re not feeling that energy, or maybe a step too slow to the ball. It’s a few little things that make the big difference in the end.”
From that point onward it was all Sharapova, who won the last 11 straight games to complete the win in 69 minutes 6-3, 6-0.
She’ll face Angelique Kerber in the round of 16.