Brown_Eyes
05-28-2006, 07:02 PM
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/images/MSNBC/msnbc_ban.gif
Limping Sharapova survives scare at French
Russian, hampered by injured ankle, rallies from 5-2 down in third set
The Associated Press
Updated: 5:30 p.m. CT May 28, 2006
PARIS - Maria Sharapova’s ankle was throbbing, her shots were off-target, and she was one point from losing to Mashona Washington in the French Open’s first round.
What rankled Sharapova the most, though, after she overcame three match points to beat the 97th-ranked American 6-2, 5-7, 7-5, was that she was playing at all. This was, after all, the first Grand Slam tournament to start on a Sunday instead of Monday, a bid to sell more tickets, reach a larger TV audience and promote the game.
The first round is being stretched over three days, and Sharapova wanted a Day 2 debut because of her health, the sort of request tennis players often make — and often are granted. The 2004 Wimbledon champion hadn’t played since April 1, sidelined by an injured right ankle that was retaped after the second set against Washington, younger sister of 1996 Wimbledon runner-up MaliVai.
“I asked if I could play later. The answer was, ’You’re playing Sunday, fourth match,”’ the fourth-seeded Sharapova said.
“How did it make me feel? Well, it doesn’t make you feel great when you know that the French federation, all they’re thinking about is selling tickets, making money and about their players. I mean, can’t be too happy about that.”
Sharapova would have appreciated a little more time to rest her ankle, even if she now gets two days of rest, as do all of Sunday’s winners. Seeded players went 9-0, including No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo and No. 3 David Nalbandian.
But Sharapova had to decide whether to risk missing Wimbledon by playing in Paris.
“It’s a tough decision because, I mean, Wimbledon is probably — I mean not ’probably,’ it is more important than this one,” she said after overcoming a 5-2 deficit in the final set. “I didn’t play on a Sunday to sell some tickets today. I played because I want to win this tournament.”
Mauresmo of France pleased a partisan crowd by beating Meghann Shaughnessy 6-4, 6-4. Mauresmo celebrated with a leaping fist pump when she broke serve in the next-to-last game, then finished with her eighth ace.
“It’s satisfactory for the first round, even if it was not the match of the century,” said Mauresmo, who has never made the semifinals at Roland Garros. “I know everybody is expecting me to do well. I hope to do well, too. I’m going to try and enjoy myself and see where it leads me.”
No. 14 Dinara Safina, No. 22 Ai Sugiyama and No. 25 Marion Bartoli also advanced.
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13019207/
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060528/060528_sharapova_hmed_12p.hmedium.jpg
Maria Sharapova serves to Mashona Washington during Sharapova's 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 victory Sunday.
Limping Sharapova survives scare at French
Russian, hampered by injured ankle, rallies from 5-2 down in third set
The Associated Press
Updated: 5:30 p.m. CT May 28, 2006
PARIS - Maria Sharapova’s ankle was throbbing, her shots were off-target, and she was one point from losing to Mashona Washington in the French Open’s first round.
What rankled Sharapova the most, though, after she overcame three match points to beat the 97th-ranked American 6-2, 5-7, 7-5, was that she was playing at all. This was, after all, the first Grand Slam tournament to start on a Sunday instead of Monday, a bid to sell more tickets, reach a larger TV audience and promote the game.
The first round is being stretched over three days, and Sharapova wanted a Day 2 debut because of her health, the sort of request tennis players often make — and often are granted. The 2004 Wimbledon champion hadn’t played since April 1, sidelined by an injured right ankle that was retaped after the second set against Washington, younger sister of 1996 Wimbledon runner-up MaliVai.
“I asked if I could play later. The answer was, ’You’re playing Sunday, fourth match,”’ the fourth-seeded Sharapova said.
“How did it make me feel? Well, it doesn’t make you feel great when you know that the French federation, all they’re thinking about is selling tickets, making money and about their players. I mean, can’t be too happy about that.”
Sharapova would have appreciated a little more time to rest her ankle, even if she now gets two days of rest, as do all of Sunday’s winners. Seeded players went 9-0, including No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo and No. 3 David Nalbandian.
But Sharapova had to decide whether to risk missing Wimbledon by playing in Paris.
“It’s a tough decision because, I mean, Wimbledon is probably — I mean not ’probably,’ it is more important than this one,” she said after overcoming a 5-2 deficit in the final set. “I didn’t play on a Sunday to sell some tickets today. I played because I want to win this tournament.”
Mauresmo of France pleased a partisan crowd by beating Meghann Shaughnessy 6-4, 6-4. Mauresmo celebrated with a leaping fist pump when she broke serve in the next-to-last game, then finished with her eighth ace.
“It’s satisfactory for the first round, even if it was not the match of the century,” said Mauresmo, who has never made the semifinals at Roland Garros. “I know everybody is expecting me to do well. I hope to do well, too. I’m going to try and enjoy myself and see where it leads me.”
No. 14 Dinara Safina, No. 22 Ai Sugiyama and No. 25 Marion Bartoli also advanced.
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13019207/
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060528/060528_sharapova_hmed_12p.hmedium.jpg
Maria Sharapova serves to Mashona Washington during Sharapova's 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 victory Sunday.