Defiant Sharapova aims for Wimbledon after French Open exit

Defending champion knocked out of Roland Garros by 13th seed Safarova

PARIS: Maria Sharapova warned her rivals she will be ready for a crack at finally winning a second Wimbledon title as she shrugged off the disappointment of an early exit from the French Open on Monday.

The Russian second seed was beaten in Paris at the fourth-round stage on Monday, losing 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 to Lucie Safarova, the 13th seed from the Czech Republic.

However, the early elimination will give her more time to rest and recuperate before action at the All England Club gets underway on June 29.

For the first time this year, there will be three weeks in between Roland Garros and Wimbledon to allow players more time to acclimatise to the grass, a change that was widely supported by those within the game. “I think it’s great. It’s nice to have a little extra time,” said Sharapova. “I don’t know what everyone will be doing, including myself, so I guess we’ll see.”

After warming up for the French Open by winning the title in Rome, Sharapova came through the first three rounds in Paris without dropping a set despite struggling to shake off the effects of a cold.

But she produced an erratic performance against Safarova on Court Philippe Chatrier.

When asked if the illness had finally caught up, she added, “I don’t like to talk about it, and I don’t think it really makes a difference. I’m still a competitor no matter what. You know, I’m going to do everything in order to go out and give it my best, and I think I did the best I could.”

Federer sweeps into quarter-finals

Second seed Roger Federer reached the French Open quarter-finals for the 11th time with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over France’s Gael Monfils.

Federer, the 2009 champion, will now face Swiss Davis Cup winning teammate Stan Wawrinka for a place in the semi-finals.

He raced through the final two sets on Monday in just over an hour after the last-16 tie was delicately poised at a set apiece when it was suspended in the chilly gloom of Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, Spanish seventh seed David Ferrer recorded his 40th career win at Roland Garros with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Croatian ninth seed Marin Cilic to join Andy Murray, who rebounded after dropping a set against Jeremy Chardy to reach the quarter-finals.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd,  2015.

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