Maria Sharapova Reaches AO Quarterfinals With Win Over Vera Zvonareva
Posted by Aaress Lawless on Jan 22, 2007 | Print | Email | Bookmark | Free Subscription
Top seed Maria Sharapova needed only two sets to secure the final berth in the Australian Open quarterfinals on Monday.
Sharapova, who will face another one of her countrywomen, Anna Chakvetadze, in the quarterfinals, advanced with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Vera Zvonareva.
Zvonareva headed into today’s meeting with the knowledge that she had beaten Sharapova twice in the past, and to her credit, she kept her attitude positive during the first part of the match before shedding a few tears during the final changeover.
Despite the straight sets win, Sharapova’s performance was not even close to her top level and her trademark aggressiveness was missing during most of the match.
Zvonareva gave Maria ten chances to break in just the first set alone, but she was not able to capitalize on any of them until at 5-all before holding serve to take the opening lead 7-5.
Sharapova grabbed the opening break of the final set, and took the double (security) break at 4-2. After blowing her first chance to serve out the match with her only loss of serve, she then saved four more break points before finally ending the match 7-5, 6-4.
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