goodbye maria sharapova

Sharapova failed to overcome big-hitting Safina.

The No1 seed Maria Sharapova was dumped out of the French Open today by fellow Russian Dinara Safina, losing 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (5-7), 2-6 in a closely fought fourth-round encounter.

Sharapova was discomfited throughout by Safina's deep hitting and struggled to put her game together in wet conditions. She initially emerged the stronger after a one-hour rain delay but lost the next two sets, repeatedly voicing her frustration as the French crowd rallied for the underdog.

After exchanging breaks of serve in the seventh and eight games, the first set went to a tie break in which No12 seed Safina squandered key opportunities. An unforced Sharapova error on the forehand gifted the No13 seed two set-points at 6-4. But Sharapova responded with an audacious drop shot to save the first and won the mini-break back in the next, her heavy hitting forcing Safina to place a backhand in the net to take it to 6-6. A forehand winner from Sharapaova moved her to set point on her own serve and she sealed the tie break 8-6.

If disappointed, Safina swiftly overcame it, breaking the world No1 in the first game of the second set. The spitting rain then strengthened to a downpour and when the players returned to court after an hour's delay, Safina saved a break point before stretching her lead to 2-0.

Sharapova rediscovered her forehand return in the fourth game of the set, setting up three break points. A frustrated Safina saved the first but could do nothing to stop a blistering return winner down the line at 15-40. Sharapova held her serve to edge ahead 3-2 - but only after Safina had wasted a chance to win another break point at 30-30, a wild forehand relieving the pressure on her opponent.

Safina then double-faulted at 30-30 in her next service game and Sharapova took advantage, sending a backhand winner down the line after manoeuvring her opponent out of position with some punishing groundstrokes. Sharapova served out her next service game to love, stretching her lead to 5-2 in the second set.

Sharapova served for the match at 5-3 but a resurgent Safina saved match point with a searing backhand and then fashioned a break-point opportunity at deuce through the gentlest of drop volleys. Another forehand error from Sharapova put Safina back in the match at 5-4. The 22-year-old held her serve to make it 5-5.

Another tie-break beckoned and as the sun finally began to shine in Paris, Sharapova's pressure looked likely to prove the difference. She secured the mini-break at 3-2, following up an aggressive return with a sensational drop shot to leave her fellow Russian floundering and facing defeat. An unforced error from Safina looked to have ended things at 5-2. But Sharapova double-faulted at 5-3 to offer Safina hope and the lower seed Russian held serve twice to edge ahead 6-5. Sharapova's cross-court backhand hit the net cord and sailed out to hand her opponent the second set.

Safina was soon playing catch-up again, losing her opening service game of the third set, but immediately broke back to love. The crowd flocked back to Court Suzanne Lenglen as an upset looked on the cards. Sharapova netted a giveaway forehand at 15-15 in the sixth game of the set and then a cross-court forehand on the run handed Safina two break points. Sharapova saved both, ending a long rally with a winning forehand on the line to take it to deuce. She then salvaged a third, but Safina made no mistake with a fourth opportunity to take a 4-2 lead. She held comfortably to stretch her lead to 5-2 and broke a visibly shattered Sharapova again to win the final set 6-2.

courtesy of: http://www.guardian.co.uk