Serena Struggles Again

Back on hard, Sharapova, Myskina victorious
Maria: ‘The competitive spirit comes back again’

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA

Back on court- where Maria belongs.

FROM THE ACURA CLASSIC IN CARLSBAD, CALIF. – Just in case you were wondering, Maria Sharapova can pack them in at a US box office. In her first match since winning Wimbledon, Sharapova brought in 6,500 fans on a Tuesday night at the Acura Classic. Those in attendance saw a decent but not spectacular performance from Sharapova, who fought past qualifier Lilia Osterloh 6-3, 6-3 in the second round.

"It was exciting," Sharapova said. "There were a few more guests asking me for tickets. As I long as I can bring the WTA to a higher level, for people to enjoy it and to bring the kids in, it’s great for me to go out and show my tennis."

The 17-year-old Russian showed off her much improved serve and vaunted return, but was most impressive in the efforts she made running side to side in hard crosscourt rallies. She’s not fastest player on tour and still needs to improve her footwork, but she’s becoming more and more comfortable with her 6-foot-1 inch frame and by next year, should be moving as gracefully as Venus. It’s not an easy transition going from grass to California hard courts. "It felt like a clay court out there," she said.

She said she enjoyed her non-stop TV talk show tour after Wimbledon, but is happy to be back between the lines. "I really feel this is where I belong," Sharapova said. "The competitive spirit comes back again. I knew it wouldn’t be easy and just I tried to be consistent. I think I did well for not playing for a while and coming off such a big win."

Watching Serena Williams struggle every single match reminds one of none other than Lindsay Davenport post-knee surgery. Serena has rebounded a lot quicker than Lindsay did after her 2002 surgery by winning the NASDAQ-100 in her first tournament back and by reaching the Wimbledon final, but she’s seriously struggling now -- technically, physically and with her confidence.

TWO-HOUR MATCH V. JANKOVIC
Williams needed more than two hours to down Serbia-Montenegro’s Jelena Jankovic 6-7 (7-3), 6-3, 6-2. They received simultaneous medical timeouts with Williams leading 3-2 in the third set, Jankovic for a bad back and Serena for blisters on her left foot, which sustained in a Monday practice session.

Jankovic is certainly an up and comer with Top-20 stuff, but Serena simply isn’t imposing herself, except with her serve. She’s trying very hard, but is getting discouraged when she’s not capitalizing.
"I’m concerned about some things but I’m working on them so they will be fixed by the time the US Open rolls around," Williams said. "In order to get ahead you have to take a step back. I'm trying to do some things different in my game."

Madly fiddling with her pocketbook after the match, Williams said that she was "nearly" suicidal out there. "Everyone tends to play beyond themselves against me," Williams said. "I didn’t play very well. I made a lot of mistakes. I should have won in straight sets. But I guess when I needed the big points my serve came. Its boiling down to missing key shots. It’s a little disgusting that I’m missing those shots, but I know if I make them it will be a different story. I’m not finding the groove and hitting the ball wrong. It’s some technical things."

Serena still has a fearsome reputation. She literally put the fear of god into Jankovic, who must have though she was facing Andy Roddick. "When I first get on court I was a scared because she was hitting so hard," said the ranked Jankovic. I was afraid I was going to get hit in the face. I said, ‘What can I do with these balls?’ They were going like 300-mph. My wrist was shaking. By she wasn’t hitting as hard and I knew I could play with her."

Fred Mullane/ Camerawork USA

Nadal will face Hewitt.

VEnus Pullout, JHH & olympics, petrova's fall
Serena’s older sister, Venus, made the smart move and pulled out of the tournament with a right wrist sprain, which sustained before her semifinal loss to Lindsay Davenport in Carson on Saturday. Venus three-peated at the Acura in 2000-2002 but failed to play last year due to an injury. This is the first time that Serena has competed here in singles. Someone has to defend the family honor.

"I had many years here watching Venus play and really competing hard," Serena said. "She never loses here so I’m going to have to pick up my game for sure."

The race for number one is really on now. Third-ranked Amelie Mauresmo will likely surpass the injured No. 2 Kim Clijsters at this tournament. Mauresmo plays Alicia Molik on Wednesday and should she win that, will have to confront the white-hot Amy Frazier in the third round (how else to describe the sunscreen queen)?

Justine Henin-Hardenne’s top spot won’t be under serious threat until the US Open. Henin is questionable the Olympics. A decision could come as early as next week.

You can’t have bandwagon without someone falling off with a thud. The Russia caravan has left Nadia Petrova behind the last couple weeks. Wiped out by Davenport in LA, Petrova fell 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 to Elena Likhovtseva at the Acura.

But Vera Zvonareva continued her improved play, plastering Spanish glam queen Maria Sanchez Lorenzo and her feet of clay 6-0, 6-3. Residence-town girl Conchita Martinez (she of Cardiff-by-the-Sea) pleased her friends and beat Emilie Loit 6-1, 6-2. Young Czech Barbara Strycova scored an impressive 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 win over Virginia Ruano Pascual. Meghann Shaughnessy experienced neck pain and had to retire down a set against Shinobu Asagoe.

Amy Frazier clubbed wild card Ashley Harkleroad, 6-2, 6-0, showing Pebbles that’s she still a long way from the top-30.Vice President Dick Cheney was at La Costa Resort on Monday night en route to meet the Marines at Camp Pendleton. He and his Secret Service crew caused a huge traffic jam after the Chanda Rubin-Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi match.

Matches to watch at a rainy TMS-Toronto on Wednesday: Lleyton Hewitt v. Rafael Nadal; Marat Safin v. Nicolas Kiefer; Rainer Schuettler v. Fernando Gonzalez; Gaston Gaudio v. qualifier Todd Reid.