Serena Williams to face Maria Sharapova at French Open

Story highlights

Williams defeats 11th seed Julia Goerges 6-3 6-4

Sharapova thumped Karolina Pliskova 6-2 6-1

Williams slams Sharapova's book

Rafael Nadal wins 34th straight set at French Open

CNN  — 

Serena Williams felt like a ‘superhero’ as she wore a black catsuit when making her grand slam return Tuesday after 16 months away.

The Austrian blew the Monte Carlo finalist away in the first two sets, lost the third, but came through 6-2 6-0 5-7 6-4 to land in a third consecutive Roland Garros quarterfinal.

But when the world-famous duo landed in the same quarter of the draw at this year’s French Open, there was no guarantee they would clash in the fourth round.

Williams was playing her first grand slam in 16 months and only her third tournament of 2018 after giving birth to daughter Olympia in September, while Sharapova dealt with an arm injury this year and still sought top form after returning from a drug suspension in April 2017.

Yet the pair will face off indeed for the 22nd time after both won Saturday at Roland Garros.

“We are both on a comeback for two totally different reasons, and she’s been on her journey for over a year and I just started mine a couple months ago,” said Williams. “So it’s just something new and different.”

Struggling somewhat in the opening two rounds, both put in their best performances of the fortnight on a sunny, warm day in Paris that was a complete contrast to Friday’s wet, heavy conditions.

On paper, anyway, they were upset victories.

Williams – her ranking down to 451st due to a lack of matches since winning the 2017 Australian Open in the early stages of pregnancy – defeated 11th-seed Julia Goerges 6-3 6-4 Saturday evening.

serena sharapova sketch

The 23-time grand slam champ faced a mere one break point and tallied 85% of her first-serve points.

“I feel like every match I play I’m getting better and I’m playing tougher opponents and I’m hanging in there, and I feel like it’s going to hopefully keep going,” said Williams.

Sharapova thumped sixth-seed Karolina Pliskova 6-2 6-1 in the afternoon, winning nearly 60% of her return points versus last year’s women’s ace leader and Roland Garros semifinalist.

Monday, though, comes the hard part for 28th-seed Sharapova, no doubt the toughest challenge of her career – trying to beat Williams.

Serena Williams was all smiles after her French Open win Saturday.

Lopsided record

Sharapova trails the series 19-2 and last overcame the American in 2004.

Sixteen straight sets have gone against her, including in the quarterfinals at the 2016 Australian Open, Sharapova’s last match prior to serving the ban for taking meldonium.

“I think any time you play against Serena you know what you’re up against,” the five-time grand slam winner told reporters. “You know the challenge that is upon you.

“Despite the record that I have against her, I always look forward to coming out on the court and competing against the best player.”

Maria Sharapova crushed Karolina Pliskova at the French Open.

They wouldn’t be considered pals but Sharapova admitted to being “inspired” by her on-court tormentor. Their path to stardom from humble beginnings is also inspiring, according to Sharapova.

Born in Siberia, Russia, Sharapova moved to the US aged six to chase her tennis dream. Williams and older sister Venus grew up in Compton in the 1980s at a time when gang warfare was not uncommon in the Los Angeles suburb.

Williams, however, wasn’t inspired by Sharapova’s autobiography, ‘Unstoppable: My Life So Far,’ published last year.

‘Hearsay book’

In the book, Sharapova said Williams was devastated after losing their final at Wimbledon in 2004, a win that truly put the Russian on the tennis map. She described hearing “guttural sobs” in the locker room.

“I think Serena hated me for being the skinny kid who beat her, against all odds, at Wimbledon,” wrote Sharapova.

And, hypothesized Sharapova, it’s the reason why Williams wracked up that 19-2 record against her. But Williams hit back.

“I think the book was 100% hearsay, at least all the stuff I read and the quotes that I read, which was a little bit disappointing,” said Williams. “I have cried in the locker room many times after a loss, and that’s what I have seen a lot of people do. I think it’s normal. I think if anything, it shows the passion and the desire and the will that you have to want to go out there and do the best.

“I think what happens there should definitely maybe stay there, and not necessarily talk about it in a not so positive way in a book,” added Williams.

Maria Sharapova of Russia blows kisses after receiving the championship trophy following her straight set victory over Justine Henin-Hardene of Belgium in the final of the U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on September 9, 2006.
Sharapova on her rivalry with Serena (2017)
04:05 - Source: CNN

Williams, though, said she harbored no “negative feelings” towards Sharapova.

Twice Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova joined her Czech Fed Cup teammate Pliskova on the sidelines, losing to Anett Kontaveit 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-4) in a match originally scheduled for Friday.

Kvitova entered the French Open as a contender after winning clay titles in Prague and Madrid and holding a 13-match winning streak. A year ago in Paris, she made her return to tennis after being attacked in her home and suffering nerve damage to her left, playing hand.

The 25th-seeded Kontaveit had a fruitful clay swing – beating Venus Williams twice – herself and a breakthrough win at a grand slam had been coming after several near misses.

“Of course, I’m pretty sad, but, on the other hand, I’m very happy about everything in the life,” said Kvitova.

Petra Kvitova's 13-match winning streak came to an end.

Rafael Nadal, meanwhile, achieved yet another milestone on clay.

When the Spaniard again crushed France’s Richard Gasquet, 6-3 6-2 6-2 – he is now 16-0 against his friend – he claimed a 34th straight set at Roland Garros to eclipse his previous best of 32.

Nadal is now not far behind Bjorn Borg’s record of 41 set from 1979-81.

German next for Nadal

He will be expected to win in straight sets again Monday when he takes on the rising, but little known, German Maximilian Marterer. The two other highest seeds in Nadal’s half, Marin Cilic and Juan Martin del Potro, didn’t conceded a set, either, in dispatching Steve Johnson and Albert Ramos Vinolas, respectively.

Gasquet was one of four French men to depart, leaving none in the round of 16 for the first time since 2007. Gael Monfils – ill all week – squandered four match points against Belgium’s David Goffin in his 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 4-6 7-5 6-3 reverse.

READ: Who can stop Nadal?

Camila Giorgi twice couldn’t serve out proceedings against US Open winner Sloane Stephens, with the American advancing 4-6 6-1 8-6.

Based on the first three rounds, 2016 winner Garbine Muguruza might be the player to beat in the women’s draw. A Spanish double in the final weekend, perhaps?

Having downed fellow French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in her opener, Muguruza eased past former finalist Sam Stosur 6-0 6-2.

Simona Halep, like Kvitova, was pushed back to Saturday because of the rain. The world No. 1 topped Andrea Petkovic 7-5 6-0 in a repeat of their 2014 semifinal.

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Rafael Nadal, meanwhile, advanced to a 12th quarterfinal and has now won 37 straight sets at Roland Garros after defeating the spirited Maximilian Marterer of Germany 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-4). In his first grand slam fourth round, the free-swinging 22-year-old led Nadal by a break in the first and third sets.