By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Maria Sharapova scored her first Cincinnati win since 2014 to set up a blockbuster rematch vs. reigning Roland Garros champion Ash Barty in round two.
Photo credit: Western & Southern Open
Armed with a bag of potato chips, Maria Sharapova prepared for her Cincinnati return pillow shopping.
Sharapova showed the munchies for short balls and stinging bite on her drives defeating American Alison Riske 6-3, 7-6(4), for her first Cincinnati victory since she stopped second-ranked Simona Halep in the 2014 quarterfinals.
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It was Sharapova’s first win since Mallorca in June and her first hard-court victory since she downed Daria Gavrilova in her St. Petersburg opener in February.
The Russian wild card, who squandered a set and a break lead losing to Anett Kontaveit in Toronto last week, hit five aces against seven double faults repelling Riske for the fourth time in as many meetings—and putting her surgically-repaired shoulder to the test.
“I hit a few doubles today, but I thought I had a little bit of a better rhythm on my serve,” Sharapova said. “I think the repetition that I'm putting in and feeling it, feeling a little bit better in terms of, like, just speed and the strength in my arm, I think that's a big part, in general, the recovery from all that I have done with the shoulder is just to get that repetition and then really believe in my shoulder an hour, two, an hour, three, if that's what it takes.”
Aside from pillow shopping, Sharapova has spent a lot of time on the practice court trying to regain her rhythm. Injuries and shoulder surgery have limited the 32-year-old Russian to 13 matches this season. Sharapova said she’s eager to return to the routine of match play.
“(I) just spent hours on the court,” Sharapova told the media. “I got here a few days early. That's what you do when you lose on a Monday night. Have a few more days to practice.
“Yeah, I mean, there is not much else to do in Mason, Ohio. It's a good opportunity. Use your time wisely. I had a couple double sessions, and, yeah, recovery.”
The 2011 Cincinnati champion knows she can’t afford a sleepy start facing top-seeded Ash Barty in round two.
The reigning Roland Garros champion, who had a first-round bye, edged Sharapova 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in their last meeting in the Australian Open round of 16 last January.
“Not an easy match and really not an easy matchup for me,” Sharapova said of the Barty showdown. “I think she does a lot of things well. She's a tricky opponent.”
The 5’5” Australian’s ability to alter the pace, gunk up the gears of an opponent’s game by mixing slithering slice backhands with her booming forehand and close at net make her an unsettling opponent. Sharapova sees some of Hall of Famer Justine Henin in Barty’s style.
Though there are some clear differences—Henin hit a one-handed topspin backhand, while Barty hits her slice backhand with one handed and her topspin backhand with two hands—both Barty and Henin know how to use shorter, sharper angles to open the court and both were accurate using the low slice to make taller opponents, like the 6’2” Sharapova, bend.
“If I had played against her best game like when I was just coming up, like a Henin or someone that sliced and diced and had a lot of variety, it was very tough for me,” Sharapova said. “But I feel like I have improved, and we had a really tough one in Australia. And ever since then she's been on a roll. She's been dominating. She's one of the few players that have really dominated and has been impressive to see.
“Yeah, I mean, I'm the one coming in with not a lot of match play, but I'll have to figure it out. If not, it's going to be too late.”