|
The five-times grand slam champion fired 34
winners and saved seven out of 10 break points to get past her
spirited opponent and set up a quarter-final clash with
Kazakhstan's Zarina Diyas who beat local hope Zhang Shuai 6-3
6-7(5) 6-4.
Twice a finalist at Shenzhen, Riske used power and precision to
breeze through the first set and went up 2-1 in the second to
leave Sharapova in trouble. The Russian then reeled off five of
the next six games to level the contest at one set apiece.
Sharapova did not let the momentum slip in the deciding set,
winning the final four games of the match to prevail in two
hours and 22 minutes.
"I'm glad I got this kind of match," Sharapova said. "These are
the kind of matches you need, especially with such a short
preparation going into the Australian Open in terms of match
play."
Earlier, Kristyna Pliskova, the twin of former world number one
Karolina Pliskova, stunned French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko
6-1 6-4 and stormed into the second round.
World number seven Ostapenko, who beat returning multiple major
champion Serena Williams in an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi
over the weekend, was undone by Pliskova's powerful serves.
"My serve was great today, especially in the first set," the
world number 61 said after her second career win over a top 10
opponent. "I feel like it's fast here, so that can be tricky for
both of us, and the first of us playing fast won the point."
Pliskova next takes on Romania's Ana Bogdan, who comfortably
defeated Italy's Camila Giorgi 6-4 6-2.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by
Christian Radnedge)
[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
