PARIS: It is not something Maria Sharapova would confess to publicly, but Serena Williams’s early downfall at the French Open means the statuesque Russian can now skip around Paris with an extra spring in her step.
While Williams’ unexpected second-round exit has offered a spark of hope to the 50 women still left standing in Roland Garros, nowhere was that hope burning brighter than in the Sharapova camp on Wednesday.
As Sharapova’s 13-million plus followers on Facebook are aware, beating the younger of the Williams sisters has proved to be the one obstacle that has been insurmountable for the 27-year-old.
It has been 10 long years since Sharapova has beaten her American rival and since that joyful day in Los Angeles in 2004, the former world number one has slumped to 15 successive defeats, including in the French Open final last year.
“You always have to follow your path and always concentrate on your work and who’s ahead of you and not get worried about what’s going on,” Sharapova said after she reached the third round with a 7-5 6-2 win over Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova.
“Obviously when you go on court you’re aware of a lot of the upsets, not just in the women but in the men, as well.
“So it’s great to get a win in that type of atmosphere.”
Williams’ demise carried extra significance for Sharapova as the 2012 Roland Garros champion had been on a quarter-final collision course with the American.
Instead of worrying and fretting over that possible showdown, Sharapova may now consider sending little-known Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, the conqueror of Williams, a thank-you note if she is to lift the French Open trophy for the second time in three years on June 7.
Top guns are on the way out, but not yet: Nadal
Rafa Nadal and the other members of the “big four” know that a new band of brash youngsters are on the horizon, but the Spaniard showed on Thursday they will not be handing over the keys to the game’s trophy cabinet just yet.
The Spaniard was up against Austrian wunderkind Dominic Thiem in the second round of the French Open and while the 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 scoreline did not do his opponent justice, Nadal was clearly the master as he took another step towards a record-extending ninth title at the claycourt slam.
World number one Nadal raised his game significantly to snuff out any chance of an upset, fending off a mini crisis in the third set when 20-year-old Thiem began to threaten.
At nearly 28, 13-time grand slam champion Nadal knows his career is probably entering the final chapters, but says any takeover at the top is not imminent.
“Our generation is now on the way out, you know, like Murray, Djokovic, Ferrer, and Berdych and others, and Tsonga, as well, we have been here for a long while,” Nadal told reporters.
“A generation is walking away and others will replace us. It will not come overnight, but it will come.
“I am almost 28. Djokovic and Andy are 27. Federer is, I don’t know, 32. The new generation, new players, have to come. We’re not gonna be here for 10 more years.”
That is for the future though and for now Nadal only has eyes on adding another Roland Garros title to his CV.
After a patchy, but his own high standards, claycourt season he was pleased to move up a notch against Thiem.
“I played the way I wanted to play. I resisted when he was going for his shots, very powerful forehand and a good backhand, ” Nadal, who will face Argentine Leonardo Mayer next, said.
“When I had to play long points I did well. When I had to attack and move him, I think I did well.
“I went to the net a few times. I’m happy that the way I returned today.” (Reuters)