Serena Williams believes Maria Sharapova will be the favourite when the pair meet for the 22nd time in the fourth round of the French Open.
The much-anticipated contest has been scheduled fourth on the Court Philippe-Chatrier, with a likely start time at around 1am AEST on Tuesday.
Talk of a rivalry seems hard to justify when the 23-time Grand Slam champion holds a 19-2 advantage in career meetings, and has won the last 17 matches stretching back to 2005, but the two women head into this latest instalment in very different circumstances.
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Williams gave birth to her daughter Alexis Olympia in September and has played just seven matches in 17 months, but tellingly the last three – wins over Kristyna Pliskova, Ash Barty and Julia Goerges in Paris – have been increasingly impressive.
High Stakes
Serena Williams & Maria Sharapova will battle for a spot in the quarterfinals on Monday. Watch Preview: https://t.co/L2RjYu7eT1 #RG18 pic.twitter.com/j9HEu6EHrP
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 4, 2018
The last time Williams faced Sharapova was in the 2016 Australian Open quarterfinals, a tournament that proved hugely significant for the Russian.
Six weeks later that the five-time Grand Slam champion announced that she had tested positive for the recently-banned substance meldonium in Melbourne, and she would eventually serve a reduced 15-month ban.
The Russian struggled with injuries and form following her return to action in April 2017 but has been showing signs of her old self during the clay-court season, reaching the quarterfinals in Madrid and the semifinals in Rome.
A superb performance against sixth seed Karolina Pliskova on Saturday confirmed that Sharapova is very much in contention for a third title at Roland Garros.
French Open 2018 statistics:
Serena Williams | Maria Sharapova | |
Aces | 25 | 12 |
Double faults | 14 | 16 |
First serve % | 61% | 62% |
Winners | 77 | 82 |
Unforced errors | 73 | 79 |
Points won | 233 | 225 |
Ave. 1st serve speed | 163kph | 160kph |
Ave. 2nd serve speed | 138kph | 143kph |
Time on court | 4hrs 46mins | 4hrs 50mins |
It also prompted Williams to suggest: “She’s probably a favourite in this match, for sure.
“She’s been playing for over a year now. I just started, so I’m just really trying to get my bearings and trying to feel out where I am and see where I can go.
“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. It’s just something new and different.”
Sharapova remains positive that she can finally get another win over the American on the board, 14 years after her last triumph in the 2004 Wimbledon final.
“Any time you play against Serena you know what you’re up against,” said Sharapova.
“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.”
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