Maria advances to French Open 2nd round

Top-ranked Maria Sharapova struggled with her serve in the wind at the French Open and barely managed to defeat 103rd-ranked Evgeniya Rodina 6-1, 3-6, 8-6 Wednesday in the first round.

Sharapova had 17 double-faults and landed only 64 percent of her first serves in the match on center court, where she is trying to complete a career Grand Slam at the clay-court major.

[quote]"I was very close to losing this match," Sharapova said. "Not many things were working for me today after the first set."[/quote]

The 19-year-old Rodina came within two points of winning at 5-4 in the third set, but Sharapova won the next two with strong serves to hold. At 6-6, Sharapova regained control by breaking serve for the first time in the final set, returning a second serve with a big forehand that caught Rodina flat-footed.

Then, serving for the match, Sharapova double-faulted one final time, but took the next three points to end it.

In the fifth game of the second set, Sharapova double-faulted three times in a row. After the third, she put her hands on her hips and stared blankly.

[quote]"I had problems in every department of my game today, so I'll have to improve on every aspect of those things," Sharapova said.[/quote]