Maria Sharapova - David Horton

How Maria Sharapova survived her 4^th round encounter with 14^th seeded Patty Schnyder to prevail 3-6 6-4 9-7 after surviving two match points only she alone knows.

The Russian world number 2 looked down and out when Schnyder served for the match three times at 5-4, 6-5 and 7-6, but on each occasion the greater willpower of Sharapova saw her through as she refused to submit.

The opening set was one way traffic as the Swiss using her loopy topspin drives to outmanoeuvre her opponent, took it in 39 minutes with a backhand crosscourt pass having broken Sharapova in the sixth game.

When Schnyder broke to go ahead 2-1, it seemed as though the former world number 1 was on her way to a straight set defeat. However, with her back to the wall the Russian began to hit the ball harder and more purposefully as her grunts grew louder with the greater effort. She broke back immediately with a deep forehand return which elicited a backhand error from the Swiss.

With another break of serve, Sharapova served for the set at 5-3 but was broken back by a sublime forehand drive down the line which the scampering Russian at full stretch was unable to return.

In the next game Sharapova set up set point with a forehand drive volley winner, and converted in the next point when Schnyder went long on her backhand.

The final set saw both ladies struggle to hold serve as the initiative shifted rapidly back and forth.

With Sharapova serving at 4-4, it appeared as if Schnyder had got the decisive break when a tentative Sharapova netted her forehand going for a winner down the line.

With Schnyder at match point in the next game, Sharapova brought the score back to deuce when she pummelled her forehand deep into Schnyder's backhand wing forcing the error.

After breaking the Russian once again, Schnyder dropped her serve to love to bring the score to 6-6.

She broke the Russian for the third time in a row, and failed to convert a second match point as she went long on her slightly weaker backhand wing.

Missing opportunities to close out the match usually proves deadly against Sharapova, and so it proved when the Russian seized control of the match after holding for 8-7.

On her very first match point she rifled a backhand return crosscourt to the Schnyder forehand which the Swiss sent wide.

The popular Swiss who had enjoyed the support of the majority of the crowd will be kicking herself for not closing out the match when she had the chance. Instead, Sharapova lives to fight another day.

Andre Jones
Roland Garros
Paris