French Open 2018: Maria Sharapova and Garbine Muguruza through to round two
- Published
Garbine Muguruza won the French Open in 2016
French Open 2018 |
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Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Dates: 27 May-10 June |
Coverage: Daily live radio and text commentaries on BBC Radio 5 live, the BBC Sport website and app. |
Former champion Maria Sharapova overcame a mid-match wobble to beat Richel Hogenkamp 6-1 4-6 6-3 and reach the French Open second round.
The Russian former world number one looked to be cruising against the Dutchwoman when she was 3-0 up in the second set, but then lost four service games in a row.
After going a break down in the third, she won six games in a row to advance.
Third seed Garbine Muguruza also went through, beating Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Sharapova stutters then sizzles
Sharapova was appearing at Roland Garros for the first time in three years, having missed the 2016 event while serving a doping ban and then having failed to secure a wildcard entry last year.
She raced through the first set in 24 minutes and was a break up in the second before Hogenkamp fought her way back into the match.
The unforced errors crept in for the Russian 28th seed, who lost six games in a row before drawing on her Grand Slam experience to turn things around.
"I really dug deep but sometimes you need to go through these types of matches where things don't go the way you want," five-time Grand Slam winner Sharapova said.
"I'm happy the way I came back in the third set. I'm so fortunate to be back in this position [at the French Open]. I formed so many great memories here."
She will face Croatian world number 50 Donna Vekic in the second round.
While Sharapova stuttered as she held a convincing lead, French seventh seed Caroline Garcia remained ruthless throughout a speedy 6-1 6-0 victory over China's Duan Yingying.
Battle of the former champions
It was a tricky first-round draw for 2016 champion Muguruza against another former French Open winner in Russia's Kuznetsova.
After a 90-minute rain interruption at 5-5 in the first set, Wimbledon champion Muguruza took control and triumphed 7-6 (7-0) 6-2.
Kuznetsova, 32, who won the title in 2009, pushed the Spaniard hard but was undone by Muguruza's attacks at the net.
"It is, so to speak, a second-week match," Muguruza told a news conference.
"And I think that I feel very encouraged by this kind of a match."
The former world number one will next face French wildcard Fiona Ferro, who stunned German Carina Witthoft - a player ranked almost 200 places above her - 6-4 6-2.
Another former top-ranked player and two-time Grand Slam champion, Angelique Kerber, also progressed to the second round thanks to a 6-2 6-3 win over fellow German Mona Barthel.