If Maria Sharapova wants to claim the world’s top ranking at the German Open, she may have to earn it the hard way.
Sharapova needs to win the title at the €1-million event, a major French Open tune-up, to unseat Lindsay Davenport. On Wednesday, the 18-year-old Russian breezed past 40th-ranked Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 6-2, 6-2.
Sharapova next faces China’s Shuai Peng in the third round on Thursday, and she could run into the tour’s two hottest players — former top-ranked Belgians Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters — if she advances.
”I never look ahead at a tournament, just my next round,” Sharapova said. ”It would be amazing to be number one, but I’m not going to put any pressure on myself.”
Her quarterfinal opponent could be Henin-Hardenne, who ran her record to 15-1 since coming back from a virus and injury.
The Belgian was forced to play twice after rain washed out her match on Tuesday, first struggling past Iveta Benesova 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.
A few hours later, she stepped back on the court to rally past Russia’s Maria Kirilenko 2-6, 6-1, 6-3.
”Six sets today — that was tough,” Henin-Hardenne said. ”But I was physically able to do that, so that was good. Now I just want a good dinner and to relax.”
In the semifinals, Sharapova could run into Clijsters, whose comeback from a left wrist injury has been just as spectacular as the one enjoyed by Henin-Hardenne. Her 7-5, 6-2 victory over Russia’s Dinara Safina took her streak to 19 wins in 20 matches.
Second-seeded Amelie Mauresmo and fourth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova also advanced on Wednesday, while French Open champion Anastasia Myskina’s slumped to a 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 loss to German wild card Julia Schruff.
That dropped the sixth-ranked Russian’s record for 2005 to 8-9, casting doubt about her ability to defend her title at Roland Garros in three weeks.
”I’m not even thinking about that. I’m so upset — I hope I feel better tomorrow,” the third-seeded Myskina said. ”What am I doing wrong? Ask my coach.”
The 107th-ranked Schruff pounded Myskina’s weaker forehand for 75 minutes to record the biggest win of her career.
”I was shocked at how fast it went,” Schruff said. ”I knew she was beatable because she hasn’t got the results — but I’m surprised I’m the one that beat her.”
Myskina hasn’t won more than three matches in any tournament since the Australian Open in early February.
Henin-Hardenne has won her last two tournaments since rejoining the tour in early April. Her only loss was to Sharapova in the quarterfinals at Miami. But she struggled in the first two sets against Benesova — a 58th-ranked player who had suffered five first-round exits in her past seven tournaments.
Benesova kept her off balance by rushing the net and mixing up drop shots and lobs, but in the third set Henin-Hardenne began to blast winners down both lines to take control.
Clijsters wasn’t offering any predictions on how she would fare at Roland Garros, where she twice reached the final before losing.
”It’s perfect conditions out there on clay,” Clijsters said. ”There is still a lot of adjustment to be done and I have to get used to it. I can’t say where I’m at for the French.”
Kuznetsova coasted into the third round with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Magdalena Maleeva, and Mauresmo ousted Anna Smashnova 6-4, 6-1.
Mary Pierce secured the day’s second upset, rolling past 10th-seeded Elena Likhovtseva 6-2, 6-2. — Sapa-AP