PARIS Feb 8 (Reuters) – Top seed Maria Sharapova
eased into the third round of the Paris Open with a 6-3 6-1
dismissal of South African Chenelle Scheepers on Wednesday.
The former world number one from Russia dropped serve twice
early in the opening set but an upset was never on the cards at
the Pierre de Coubertin hall.
After being held 3-3 in the first set, she won nine of the
10 remaining games, taking victory after 68 minutes when
Scheepers netted a routine shot.
“I struggled a little bit at the beginning because the
surface is quicker than at the Australian Open or the Fed Cup,”
Australian Open finalist Sharapova, who will next face either
Romanian Monica Niculescu or German ninth seed Angelique Kerber,
told reporters.
(Reporting by Chrystel Boulet-Euchin; Writing by Julien Pretot;
Editing by Clare Fallon; To query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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