'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Melbourne, Jan 21 (IANS)
World No.2 Maria Sharapova had a narrow escape in the second round of the women's singles at the Australian Open tennis tournament against qualifier and fellow Russian Alexandra Panova on Wednesday. The reigning French Open champion ended up winning 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.
The second seed was in complete control as she broke service to take the first set 6-1, in just 26 minutes, on centre court at the Rod Laver Arena. But Panova broke in the first game of the second set and soon took a 2-0 lead. She broke again before eventually holding serve to take it 6-4.
Sharapova immediately lost serve at the start of the third set, and with the double faults and unforced errors mounting, she found herself trailing 1-4.
However, the 2008 Australian Open champion dug deep, saving two match points at 4-5 in the third to ultimately clinch a narrow victory.
