MONTREAL: Anett Kontaveit spoiled Maria Sharapova’s return from injury Monday, rallying to beat the five-time Grand Slam champion 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 at the WTA tournament in Toronto. Sharapova, competing for the first time since retiring from her first-round match at Wimbledon, appeared to be on course for just a fourth match win since January when she went up a set and an early break on the 16th seed from Estonia.
Having forced the third set, Kontaveit gave herself a chance to serve for the match with a break of serve in an epic ninth game. Sharapova hung on through nine deuces before Kontaveit converted her third break chance in a game that lasted more than 15 minutes.
“I was just trying to take it point by point and not think about the score that much. It worked in the end,” said Kontaveit, who converted her first match point in the following game when Sharapova sent a service return long. While Kontaveit readies herself for a second round match against either Venus Williams or Carla Suarez Navarro — who opened play on Centre Court on Tuesday — Sharapova will set her sights on next week’s tournament in Cincinnati, where she has received a wild card just as she did in Toronto. “I don’t think this is the time to take a break,” she said.
The 32-year-old has slipped to 82nd in the world rankings after
another season marred by injury. She had missed more than four months in the wake of right shoulder surgery when she returned for the grass court season this year. – AFP
