Saturday, 25 June 2011
by Barry Newcombe
Russia's Maria Sharapova continued her bid to win a second Wimbledon singles title with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Czech Klara Zakopalova, which earned her place in the fourth round and a match against the 20th seed from China, Shuai Peng.
In the first match of the day on Court No.2, Sharapova took control with her solid driving from the baseline in the cool midday conditions.
Zakopalova was in the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for only the third time in 32 attempts but she reached the last 16 at Wimbledon last year, proving she can play on grass.
However, Sharapova, who won her only Wimbledon title seven years ago aged 17, did not give Zakopalova time or space to settle and was soon ahead 4-1 with two breaks of serve.
Her ground strokes earned plenty of points and Zakopalova did not help her cause with a double fault which put her break point down in the fourth game. On the next point she missed a backhand and slipped over at the same time.
Zakopalova fell over again as Sharapova opened up a 5-2 lead and in the next game Sharapova prospered from some strong hitting on the backhand to wrap up the first set.
At the start of the second set, Sharapova had one anxious moment when she was a break point down, but she saved that situation with a service winner.
Two games later she lost her serve on a double fault, which put the Czech 2-1 up, but Sharapova, keeping her concentration, was back on terms at 3-3 and then reeled off the next three games for victory.
Sharapova finished in convincing style with a forehand crosscourt winner to reach match point followed by another forehand down the line. It left Sharapova in the fourth round for the seventh time.
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