Former world number one Maria Sharapova battled back from a torrid start against French teenager Caroline Garcia to book her place in the French Open third round with a 3-6 6-4 6-0 victory on Thursday.
Sharapova’s play was littered with errors as she trailed 6-3 4-1 but 17-year-old Garcia collapsed as the Russian seventh seed eventually upped the tempo and hit her stride.
Three-times grand slam champion Sharapova, looking for her first title on the Paris clay, had too much experience in the end for the world number 188 who was playing only her fourth match on the main tour.
The court Philippe Chatrier crowd, sniffing an upset, turned up the volume midway through the second set, but Sharapova romped through the last 11 games.
I’m the Lady Gaga of tennis, says Mattek-Sands: Eccentric dresser Bethanie Mattek-Sands says she draws her stylistic inspiration from pop superstar Lady Gaga, and admits she has already started planning her outfits for this year’s Wimbledon.
The world number 34 is renowned for her eye-catching on-court attire and regularly competes clad in shorts and knee-high socks and with American football-style tape plastered across her cheeks to combat glare.
The 26-year-old American teamed a pink T-shirt with black shorts and socks in her 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 defeat of compatriot Varvara Lepchenko in the second round of the French Open at Roland Garros on Wednesday.
Quizzed about the inspiration behind her outfits, Mattek-Sands said she felt a stylistic affinity with Lady Gaga, who is as famous for her jaw-dropping costumes as she is for her multi-million-selling albums.
“I think she’s very individual,” said Mattek-Sands, whose victory over Lepchenko means she will leapfrog Venus Williams to become the American number two when the next WTA rankings are published.
“Obviously she’s come out with some crazy stuff. I don’t know that I would be able to play in a meat dress or anything.
“I was thinking of stapling some bacon on my shoulder or something, but I don’t know how that would work out in the sun.
“But she’s cool. She has cool songs. Just you never know what she’s going to do next, and I really can appreciate that.”
Wimbledon’s strict dress code, which forbids players from wearing any colours other than white, has forced Mattek-Sands to be creative with her outfits during the tournament at the prestigious All-England Club.
At the 2006 championships, for example, she sported a football-themed ensemble, replete with football socks bought from the famous Harrods department store for £10 ($16) the night before.
Sharapova survives scare to advance into round three
