Warsaw Open: Sharapova wins first singles match after long layoff

The highly anticipated singles comeback of former world number one Maria Sharapova resulted with a first round victory at the Warsaw Open, a $600,000 Premier claycourt event. However, it was a scary situation for the Russian, who squandered a total of nine match points thereby losing the second set, but eventually managed to defeat Italian veteran Tathiana Garbin in three sets 6-1, 6-7 (8-6), 6-3 . The match lasted more than two hours and thirty minutes.

This is certainly a great start for Sharapova, a three-time Grand Slam winner who has been sidelined from tennis due to shoulder injury for the past eight months. Her world ranking slid to as low as 126th this week after missing a string of lucrative tournaments including the Australian Open, which she failed to defend, last January.Two months ago, she attempted to make a comeback via the women’s doubles event in Indian Wells but was bundled out in the first round.

The Russian was certainly at her game with no hint of shoulder problems during the first set, although bandages were wrapped on her right shoulder for added protection. Her first serve percentage reached as high as 84 percent. The former world number one broke her 68th-ranked opponent’s serve at the start of first set. She went on to dictate play through most of the first set.

She was seemingly headed for an easy victory in the second set until she was up serving for the win with three match points at 5-2. She squandered all of them by committing a series of double faults, giving her opponent an opportunity to catch up at 5-5. Sharapova managed to hold serve as well as Garbin to go on a closely-contested tiebreak which the Italian won.

Third set was as grueling as the second set with Sharapova committing more double faults but managed to stay on and eventually close out the set at 6-3. Overall, Sharapova committed nine double faults.

This match served as the second meeting between the two WTA stars. Their last encounter was two years ago at the Australian Open which Sharapova handily won 6-3, 6-1.

Next up for the comebacking Russian would be the winner between lucky losers Darya Kustova of Bulgaria and Lenka Tvaroskova of Slovakia.

Top two seeds Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska pulled out of the tournament due to injuries.

Other first round winners include Julia Goerges, Anne Keothavong, Marta Domachowska, Jie Zheng and Alona Bondarenko.

According to her official website, Sharapova’s taking part in this year’s French Open, a grasscourt event in Birmingham and Wimbledon.

The last winner of the Warsaw Open was Justine Henin in 2007. The event was not held last year.

Check out Sharapova’s WTA Profile HERE.