By Chris Oddo | Saturday, May 16, 2015
Maria Sharapova slipped past feisty Russian qualifier Daria Gavrilova to set up a Rome final with Carla Suarez Navarro.
Photo Source: Internazionali BNL D'Italia
Maria Sharapova fought off the most valiant efforts of feisty 21-year-old Russian Daria Gavrilova to reach the Internazionali BNL D’Italia final in Rome, 7-5, 6-3.
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The victory earns Sharapova a chance to bid for her third title in five years at Rome and more important, it solidifies her Top-two ranking for next week, which means she’ll be seeded second at Roland Garros.
Sharapova found herself in a heated battle with the youngster who shocked her in the second round of this year’s Sony Open in Miami, and she had difficulty dialing in her typically pitch-perfect second-serve returns against Gavrilova’s slower serves.
Though Sharapova pressed on several occasions, she failed to convert her first seven break points and only managed to break through in the 12th game after Gavrilova had returned from an off-court consultation with the tournament physio due to an abdomen injury.
Sharapova, who used the drop shot often and at times to great effect, clinched the set on her 8th break point on a drop shot, but she would fall behind quickly to Gavrilova in set two when the world No. 78 notched a break after an entertaining serve that saw her produce some material for the highlight reels.
But Sharapova was undaunted and hit back, claiming the next five games on the trot to clinch the victory in one hour and 48 minutes.
The Russian will bid to tie Serena Williams in active clay-court titles on Sunday when she meets Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro in the final. The Russian’s 10 clay-court titles currently leave her tied with Anabel Medina Garrigues on the list.
Gavrilova was making her WTA semifinal debut after qualifying in Rome and knocking off Belinda Bencic, Ana Ivanovic, Timea Bacsinszky and Christina McHale to assure herself a Top 50 ranking next week. Remarkably, the Russian has come all the way from a year-end ranking of 233 in 2014.
Notes, Numbers, Tweets
Sharapova has won 61 of her last 67 on clay.
The Russian will bid for her 35th title on Sunday.