Two Guys Sports
Bruce BostwickSharapova Taken to the Limit
May 28th 2008 13:01
MAria Sharapova survives her first round match with Evgeniya Rodina
The wind is whipping around in Paris today. You are going to want to remember the name Evgeniya Rodina. She came into Roland Garros ranked at #103 in the world, and never having a match in a Grand Slam event. The barely 19 year old Russian’s first Grand Slam match was today against the #1 ranked woman in the world, Maria Sharapova.
Sharapova won the first set easily 6-1. The second set however was an entirely different story. She was making unforced errors, and hitting double faults left and right. She seemed to have lost focus, and the wind was wreaking havoc on many aspects of the game. Rodina was taking advantage of the errors, and of the wind. The second set became the young Russian’s first ever set win in a Grand Slam event, and it came against the world’s #1. She won the set 6-3, forcing a decisive third set.
Halfway through the third set Rodina was still running with the big dogs, the score was 3-3. Sharapova had cut down on the errors and double faults a little bit, but to this point it wasn’t enough to put away her upstart fellow Russian who at this time last year was playing Junior’s Tennis. The match was now approaching two hours when many thought it would take closer to half an hour to finish. Rodina would then win the fourth game to take the advantage. The next game would start with a point to Sharapova, but then Rodina would notch the next three points to make it 40-15 and set up a break point. Sharapova would bear down and get the score to Deuce, but would double fault for the 15th time in the match. Advantage Rodina! Then back to Deuce, the drama was building more and more with every point. After a fault Sharapova would gan the advantage on her next serve. Sharpova would finally win the game with a hard fast shot into the corner that Rodina could not get to. Set three is now 4-4.
With the game at 15-15, then 30-30, it was becoming apparent this match was going to go down to the wire. Rodina would then take the lead again, going up 5-4 in the third set. This would certainly be the upset of the year if Rodina could pull it off. Sharapova to serve in the next game. She would go up 30-0 before giving up a point to Rodina, then followed that with a double fault, 30-30. Rodina would not be able to return either of Sharapova’s next two serves, and Sharapova would win the game to tie it yet again, now 5-5.
Rodina serving, she would take the lead 30-15, then 40-15 as Sharapova hit one long. Sharapova would then get the game to Deuce, but then hit one long again, Advantage Rodina, on the next serve she would hit one wide, set score 6-5. The next game started off even again 15-15, then Sharapova got a lucky bounce off the net for 30-15, then followed it with a long shot down the line for 40-15. The next point might be the highlight of this amazing match. Sharapova sent Rodina back long, then on the next shot she hit a little drop shot near the net. Rodina somehow got from a spot five foot off the back of the court up to the net in time to return it, on the next hit Rodina would put the point away. Sharapova, Navratilova, and I think everyone in the stadium was stunned at the great play. On the next point Rodina slipped as she returned a second shot, it would hit the net. Set score now 6-6! Rodina serving, she would lose the first point and by this time was showing a lot of emotion. The next point Sharapova would hit one long to tie it again at 15-15. Her next shot would be into the net, then another little drop shot on the next point ties it up 30-30. Rodina would go wide on the next point, 30-40, break point Sharapova. Then it turned around, Sharapova went long, Deuce. They would both have shots off the net, Rodina would then over hit a shot which was long, followed by another long one. Sharapova wins the game, 7-6. Sharapova serving for the match. She would take the first two points, 30-0, but then she had another double fault, her 17th of the match. The next point would end up in the net, 30-30. So much drama at this point! The 19 year old would not go away easy. Sharapova would hit a short shot on the next point to go up 40-30 and serve for match point. Rodina would return one long and wide to put an end to one of the best tennis matches I have seen in a long time.
Final score 6-1, 3-6, 8-6, Sharapova escapes and advances to face Bethanie Mattek in the next round. ?Sharapova came that close to becoming the first ever #1 seeded woman to lose in the first round at the French Open. If she plays like this in the next few rounds she might not be around for very long in Paris. Sharapova had an astounding 68 unforced errors to go along with her 17 double faults. Her opponent Rodina on the other hand had just 28 unforced, and 5 double faults, as she fought through some major calf cramps from early in the second set right to the end.
Again, I think you will want to remember the name Evgeniya Rodina. If today was any indication the 19 year old Russian will be around for quite some time to come, as well as being ranked much higher than her current 103rd in the world. If you missed the match and have a way to see the replay of it later today, or can find it online somewhere, I highly recommend watching it.
Also in early action today was #25 seed Australian, Lleyton Hewitt he beat Nicolas Mahut in straight sets 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. I was not able to see any of this match as they aired the above match which I would have hated to miss anyway. However, looking at the match stats Hewitt had little trouble winning this one.
Juan Carlos Ferrero defaulted his match with Marcos Daniel after requesting a trainer in the second set of their match. Ferrero had one the first set 7-6 (7-5), and the secone set was tied 2-2 at the time.
We will be adding to the highlights and scores later today, we just wanted to get the report on this outstanding women's match out as soon as possible to maybe give people a chance to catch the replay. It would be a shame to miss this match.
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