Basking in her latest victory on Friday, Maria Sharapova grabbed a pinch of red clay at Roland Garros and gave it a rub. She’ll be back for more.
A Siberia native who lives in Florida, the 17-year-old Sharapova advanced to the fourth round of the French Open by beating fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (3).
Precocious and photogenic, Sharapova has drawn comparisons to a young Anna Kournikova. Sharapova reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year and is seeded 18th, and the victory over Zvonareva was her second this month against a top-10 player.
She’ll next face Marlene Weingartner, who beat number eight-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova 6-3, 6-2.
Petrova, a semifinalist last year, had five double faults and lost her serve seven times. Her defeat guarantees a first-time Grand Slam semifinalist in that quarter of the draw.
”I’m very disappointed,” Petrova said. ”This French Open is screwed up. It’s a very open draw this year. Anyone can be in the final.”
Perhaps it will be Sharapova. Born in Nyagan, Russia, she moved to the Black Sea resort of Sochi at age two, began playing tennis at four, started training at Nick Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy in Florida at nine and had an agent by 11. She signed last year with IMG’s modelling division, which represents Tyra Banks, and speaks fluent English.
Plus she can play, smacking aggressive shots with a shriek that has sometimes drawn complaints from opponents. Sharapova raced to a 4-0 lead against the 10th-seeded Zvonareva, then wavered in the second set but closed out the victory with a solid tiebreaker.
Sharapova hit a service winner on set point, then emitted one final shriek and hopped with glee.
Also advancing was number 14 Paola Suarez, who beat Tatiana Perebiynis 6-3, 6-3.
In men’s play, number nine Tim Henman reached the fourth round for the first time in nine appearances at Roland Garros by beating Galo Blanco 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-2.
Two-time runner-up Alex Corretja lost to number 22 Juan Ignacio Chela 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Weingartner (24) matched her best Grand Slam performance by reaching the fourth round. She lost to Petrova 6-0, 6-0 in their only previous meeting, which was last year.
”She’s the type of player who can play unbelievable, and the next day she can play the worst,” Petrova said.
Another Russian eliminated was 17-year-old Maria Kirilenko, who came up just short on Thursday in pursuit of the biggest victory yet for women’s tennis in her nation. Kirilenko lost to Serena Williams 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the second round, but she expects to be heard from again.
”I had a chance, but I didn’t take this chance,” she said. ”I will try next time.”
Russia had seven women reach the round, out of 32 — more than any other country, and a reflection of the nation’s recent progress in the sport.
Six Americans remained. That included Williams and her sister Venus, and Jennifer Capriati, thanks to a trio of come-from-behind wins on Thursday.
Second-seeded Serena had the toughest time. By the seventh game, she was screaming at herself. In the third set, when she fell behind 4-2, she threw her racket.
She regrouped and didn’t lose another game.
”I think I made like a thousand mistakes,” said Williams, the 2002 champion. ”I made a ton of errors. I was spraying the ball. I wasn’t moving up to the ball. I was hitting short balls. … I just had a bad day.”
The crowd wanted an upset, and scattered whistles and boos were directed at Williams late in the match. The jeers were less hostile than last year at Roland Garros, when she lost a tumultuous semifinal to Justine Henin-Hardenne.
”I really don’t hear the crowd too much — at least today I didn’t,” she said.
Williams did well to advance in an upset-filled tournament that has already lost both defending champions.
Juan Carlos Ferrero’s bid to repeat ended when he was beaten by Russian Igor Andreev 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. Henin-Hardenne, the 2003 women’s champion, lost on Wednesday. — Sapa-AP