By Erik Gudris | Saturday, January 23, 2016

 

Maria Sharapova hit 58 winners and 21 aces to hold off Belinda Bencic in their first ever career meeting.

Photo Credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Experience won out over youth in an anticipated fourth round meeting at the Australian Open. Former champion Maria Sharapova hit herself out of trouble and into yet another major quarterfinal.

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Standing in way was 18-year-old Belinda Bencic who made things very difficult for the former No. 1 throughout their first ever career meeting.

“These are the players who will ultimately take out place but not quite yet,” Sharapova said just after posting a straight sets win on Rod Laver Arena.

That statement summed up the match as Sharapova proved she isn’t quite ready to cede her place as one the tour’s top stars. The match also was a showcase for Sharapova’s trademark grit to win even when things weren’t always working out for her.

Sharapova set the tone early in the opening set by firing off several aces and, by the third game, having already cracked 10 winners. But that didn’t phase Bencic who countered by keeping the ball deep in the rallies and trying to move Sharapova around. Though the winner count increased for Sharapova, so did the errors as she often would send what looked like a winning shot wide or long.

Both women traded multiple breaks of serve despite Sharapova hitting nearly two aces in each of her service games. Serving down 4-5, Bencic found herself in all kinds of trouble as Sharapova pounced on several returns. Though Sharapova held two set points, Bencic saved them both and eventually held for 5-all.

A few games later, Bencic served to force a tiebreak but again Sharapova took control early with her powerful returns. On her fifth set point, Sharapova finally closed out the set 7-5.

By now, Sharapova had hit 34 winners and 25 unforced errors.

The match remained, more or less, on Sharapova’s racquet during the second set. The No. 5 seed found herself battling to hold serve early. Bencic again was able to keep her opponent off balance with several deep replies from both wings. But in the third game, Bencic missed an opportunity to move forward and finish off a rally, choosing instead to retreat to the baseline. Sharapova recovered and eventually held serve for 2-1.

It was those type of decisions from Bencic, perhaps somewhat based on inexperience, that would allow Sharapova to wiggle out of tight situations throughout the set. Sharapova’s winner and ace count kept on increasing, but she could not find a way to put distance between her and Bencic on the scoreboard.

Sharapova hit her 21st ace to go up 5-4 in the set.

Serving now to stay in the match, Bencic remained cool and composed and enjoyed an easy service hold to level things at 5-all. The next game saw Sharapova suffer a rare poor service performance. But Bencic couldn’t capitalize on seeing so many second serves come her way. Now full of frustration, Bencic now had to serve to force a tiebreak and also stay in the match.

Sharapova again pounced. With a blistering crosscourt forehand return, Sharapova created her first match point. Bencic responded by again keeping the ball deep to cause a Sharapova error. Yet Sharapova would get another match point soon enough.

Once again, experience, and the lack of it, helped decide the match. Sharapova ripped a huge return that clipped the baseline right at Bencic’s feet. Bencic did not make a play on the ball while a linesman called it out. When Sharapova asked for a review, it showed her shot did indeed catch the line. With that, the match was hers.

Sharapova celebrated with relief in getting through 7-5, 7-5 to reach yet another Australian Open quarterfinal.

Sharapova hit a whopping 58 winners and 46 unforced errors compared to just 10 winners from Bencic and 19 errors. Sharapova also hit an outstanding 21 aces in her win.

Waiting for Sharapova in the quarters could be the woman who defeated her in last year’s final - Serena Williams. But it’s a challenge that Sharapova seems ready for, despite not having beaten Williams in more than a decade.

“It was a great final last year,” Sharapova said on facing Williams. “Came quite close in that 2nd set, I look forward to playing the best in the world.”