The player that many reckon shouldn’t be allowed to lift a tennis racket following a doping suspension continues to roll on at the US Open.
Maria Sharapova, the 30-year-old former world No 1, but unseeded at Flushing Meadows and a wildcard entry, is playing in her first Grand Slam tournament since completing a doping ban. And, after knocking out No 2 Simona Halep on Monday, she advanced to the third round with a 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-1 victory over Hungary’s Timea Babos at the US Open.
Babos had two break points to lead by a set and 4-2, but Sharapova came through in two hours and 20 minutes.
‘I knew I wanted to get it done and I did,’ said Sharapova. ‘I felt like it was a scrappy match, but sometimes those days are the best, because you get through and give yourself another chance.’
Sharapova is currently ranked 146th following her 15-month doping suspension. The decision drew criticism from some quarters, but Sharapova received a warm reception from the crowd in both matches.
‘I think with the way that I played Monday night, I don’t think there are any more questions,’ she said. ‘I’ve had an amazing reaction from fans since I’ve been back, and that’s been very special.’
The 2006 champion will next face American wildcard Sofia Kenin.
Australian bad boy Nick Kyrgios continued his poor form at the Grand Slams, this time losing early to fellow Australian, John Millman, the No 235-ranked player in the world.
Kyrgios appeared to have injured his shoulder during the match. He had ‘a verbal altercation with the chair umpire after getting a code violation for cursing and looked like he attempted to splash water on him,’ reported the New York Post. After the match, he said he wasn’t dedicated enough to the sport.
‘I’m not good enough for him,’ he said when asked if he would continue working with his coach, Sebastien Grosjean. ‘He’s very dedicated. He’s an unbelievable coach. He probably deserves a player, [someone] probably more dedicated to the game than I am. He deserves a better athlete than me.’
Men’s No 6 Dominic Thiem and No 7 Grigor Dimitrov both cruised to victory, however. Thiem smashed 33 winners, while Dimitrov controlled his match with his service game, winning 80% of his first-serve points.
He has a 2-0 career record over world number 61 Borna Coric, who made the third round by stunning fourth-seeded German Alexander Zverev.
South Africa’s Kevin Anderson, seeded at 28, had a straightforward victory over Ernests Gulbis of Latvia, winning 6-3, 7-5, 6-4. He will now meet world No61 Borna Coric, who made the third round by stunning fourth-seeded German Alexander Zverev.
Anderson would have taken a 0-4 losing record against Zverev into Friday’s third round had the young German prevailed against the 20-year-old Croatian.
On the women’s side, most of the top contenders in play moved on with relative ease. No 10 Agnieszka Radwanska didn’t drop a set, No 8 Svetlana Kuznetsova paired 28 winners with 56 unforced errors, but narrowly escaped Marketa Vondrousova, and No 4 Elina Svitolina’s strong net game (14 of 17 net points won) characterised her victory over Katerina Siniakova.
Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
