'%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)
Maria Sharapova put together a strong finish to her opening round match at the Rogers Cup in Montreal on Tuesday. The former world number one got to bring a close to her rain-delayed match on Monday to secure the victory against Sesil Karatantcheva 6-1, 6-2 on Centre Court at IGA Stadium.
The two rekindled an eight-year drought between one another where the former world number one continued to hold the series lead. They met early in Sharapova's career where she had a challenge but accelerated her game to play in the style of a strengthen athlete of the sport. The Russian took more time off to relax and take care of a situation that she wanted to be good to go in time for the US Open but competing in Montreal was essential for her to climb deeper into the ranks.
She started with a good service hold to shake off the rust of not playing since Wimbledon to make her mark count. Karantantcheva nearly had Sharapova held to a single point on serve but watched the Russian come back to deuce. She let up just enough to let the Bulgarian taste victory against the world number 22. Sharapova took over the lead after being handed the first break due to the 28-year old's back to back double faults.
A shock occurred on the court as the world number 22 committed a double fault of her own going down 0-30 in the fifth game. She rallied back just in time to take a 4-1 rout right before the rain began to fall suspending play for the remainder of the day. When they resumed, Karantantcheva served in the sixth on deuce only to lose the game on the third break.
The Russian served for the set in the seventh rallying back from 15-30 to close out the set in 44 minutes. Sharapova had a 65 percent first serve with 10 winners that leveled out the double-digit errors she committed. While her stats were usually of a strong player coming back into the tour, the 28-year-old showed that she couldn’t keep up with the focus and strength having five double faults.
The Bulgarian brushed off the fast ending to the set and got right into the second challenging Sharapova's push to break her in the first game. They remained on deuce playing six breaks before the former number one got it through after nine minutes.
After getting out of a heavy point in the set, the Russian dominated her way to two quick victories bashing away at Karantantcheva who struggled to use the offense that she had displayed in the first set. She was trounced in the fourth showing no answer to Sharapova's rush to victory in the fourth blanking the Bulgarian.
Karantantcheva needed a win in order to avoid a bagel and in the fifth, she managed to hold off Sharapova just enough to secure her lone win. The 31-year-old gained her second straight shutout of Karantantcheva to play against her for the match.
She committed her sixth double fault but got out front before securing the win. While it was the third she got against Sharapova, she watched her tournament come to a close with her strong opponent winning a third straight shutout hitting the ball into the net on the return ending it in 1 hour and 20 minutes.
"It feels good to finish this match in a good straight sets match," Sharapova said during her on-court interview. "Obviously it’s difficult for the both us waiting around but it’s great to get it done here." She'll meet the winner between Maria Sakkari and Daria Kasatkina in the second round Wednesday.
