By Chris Oddo | Monday, January 26, 2015

 

Maria Sharapova kept her hopes of winning a second Australian Open title alive with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Eugenie Bouchard.

Photo Source: Corleve

Maria Sharapova was her usual shrewd, impassioned self over the course of her 6-3, 6-2 takedown of rising star Eugenie Bouchard on Day 9. The former Australian champion and current world No. 2 improved her all-time record at the happy Slam to 47-10 and, more important, kept alive her hopes of supplanting world No. 1 Serena Williams at the top of the WTA rankings by the end of the tournament.

More: Makarova Breezes Past Halep, Into Semis

“I had to have a really good performance against Genie,” Sharapova said. “She’s been playing so well at Slams, so confident and so aggressive. I just tried to take that away a little bit.”

Sharapova hit 19 errors against 18 unforced errors, while Bouchard managed only 13 winners against 30 unforced. The Canadian looked off-balance and erratic from the start. Missing two break points early in the set, Bouchard didn’t get closer than deuce in Sharapova’s final two service games of the set.

“I just tried to keep my ground,” said Sharapova. “I knew she was going to go at it and be that aggressive player.”

But it was Sharapova who played the role of aggressor for most of the match. A laced backhand that was wickedly struck and angled gave Sharapova her first set point in the ninth game of the first set, and she would capitalize soon after.

Bouchard was broken twice in the second set and did not manage any break opportunities.

Sharapova’s triumph over the 20-year-old is her fourth in four previous encounters, including three at majors.

The Russian will next battle Ekaterina Makarova in an all-Russian semifinal.