Roger Federer, still seeking a first Roland Garros crown to complete a career Grand Slam, swept into the second round on Monday but was overshadowed by the eagerly awaited Grand Slam return of Maria Sharapova, the world’s highest-paid and most recognizable sportswoman.
The Russian golden girl, ranked at a lowly 102 after a nine-month absence because of a shoulder injury, overcame Belarusian Anastasia Yakimova 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 to book a last 64 date against compatriot Nadia Petrova, the 11th seed.
Sharapova, a former Wimbledon, US and Australian Open champion, said her return feels like a second career has just get underway.
PHOTO: EPA
“Definitely. It’s the first time in my life where I couldn’t practice for such a long period of time,” said Sharapova, who warmed up for the French Open by playing singles at the low-key Warsaw event last week.
“I think it was three months where I didn’t touch a racquet. Everything about it was just bizarre. It was like some things were just taken away from your life,” she said.
Meanwhile, US teenager Alexa Glatch upset 14th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta, 6-1, 6-1.
Pennetta, who reached the fourth round last year, said she considered withdrawing from the tournament because of a hamstring problem. She appeared mobile enough to chase down shots along the baseline but could not keep the 19-year-old Glatch from winning her French Open debut.
Glatch might have caused trouble at a Grand Slam earlier had she not broken her right wrist and left elbow in 2005 when she crashed her motor scooter while being chased by a dog.
Ranked 116th, Glatch led the US Fed Cup team to the final last month by winning both of her singles matches against the host Czech Republic.
Federer overcame dropping his first service game to see off Spanish journeyman Alberto Martin 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
The Swiss star, the holder of 13 Grand Slam titles, hit 10 aces and 38 winners in his win over the former French Open junior champion and next faces Argentina’s Jose Acasuso.
“I started a little slowly,” Federer said. “He plays very far behind the baseline so I had to make adjustments.”
“Then I started to serve well. That allowed me to play more freely and I was able to dominate,” he said.
Federer was joined in the next round by US sixth seed Andy Roddick who eased past French wildcard Romain Jouan 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.
Roddick, who has never got beyond the third round, admitted he knew nothing of his 302nd-ranked opponent, who only discovered he was playing at the weekend when he received a telephone call while out shopping.
“I couldn’t find any information on him at all,” said Roddick of 23-year-old Jouan. “He had plenty of firepower but he’s not the most consistent guy I’ve ever played.”
SIBLING RIVALRY: Marc Marquez was locked in a duel with his little brother, falling behind at one point before recovering for his first season-opening victory since 2014 Six-time world champion Marc Marquez yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening Thailand Grand Prix to complete a dominant debut weekend at his new Ducati Lenovo Team, having also romped to Saturday’s sprint. The Spanish great took the 26-lap grand prix by 1.732 seconds for his 63rd MotoGP victory from younger brother Alex Marquez, who is still seeking a first checkered flag, with Francesco Bagnaia third to complete an all-Ducati podium. It completed a perfect weekend for Marc Marquez, who took pole position, the sprint victory and the grand prix win for a maximum 37 points to open the 22-leg 2025 campaign. He led from
AC Milan’s slender hopes of reaching next season’s UEFA Champions League took another hit on Thursday with a 2-1 defeat at Bologna which left them eight points from Serie A’s top four. Sergio Conceicao’s team sit eighth, some way behind fourth-placed Juventus after losing an entertaining contest at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, a match which was rescheduled from October last year due to torrential rain and flooding. Swathes of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy, much of which is fertile agricultural land, had been left under water following a massive autumn downpour. Dan Ndoye prodded home the decisive goal in the 82nd minute
Former Australian motorcycle gang member-turned-golfer Ryan Peake, who served a lengthy jail term for assault, yesterday produced a “life-changing” maiden win to qualify for The Open Championship. Peake held his nerve for a one-stroke victory at the New Zealand Open, earning him a berth at the major in Portrush, Northern Ireland, in July, pending clearance to travel as a convicted criminal. The 31-year-old from Perth celebrated animatedly and was showered with champagne by friends on the 18th green of the Millbrook Resort course near Queenstown after a redemption story rarely seen in the refined sport of golf. Peake held back tears as he
MILWAUKEE PREVAIL: Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 28 points as the Bucks withstood Nikola Jokic’s 27th triple-double of the season to beat the Nuggets Golden State star Stephen Curry on Thursday drilled 12 three-pointers in a scintillating 56-point display that carried the Warriors to a 121-115 victory over the Orlando Magic. Curry’s explosive performance helped the Warriors dig themselves out of a 17-point hole, with the point guard signaling the start of the fightback with a three-pointer from beyond the half-court line to end the first half that pulled the Warriors within 66-52 at the break. In the third quarter, he single-handedly outscored the Magic with 22 points to Orlando’s 21. The four-time NBA champion finished two three-pointers shy of former teammate Klay Thompson’s record for most
RSS