19 Sam Stosur vs. 7 Maria Sharapova

Stepping in at 3-5, 40-15 for Sharapova trying to stay in the First Set

– Sharapova’s Grunt is at Championship Level despite trailing

– Deuce after a few Sharapova errors – Carillo says there is no challenge system on clay and of course that is and is not true

– Forehand winner and set point for Stosur

– Given Stosur’s serve and forehand as well as her past successes in Paris makes me think that the winner here is the slight favorite to take the title – Sharapova double faults

Stosur Leads Sharapova – 6-3

– Stosur using her forehand to open up the court – Sharapova’s movement becoming a factor has an inverse relationship to her winning

– Stosur gifts a break from 40-30 up and 3 unforced errors

Stosur leads Sharapova – 6-3, 0-1 (break to Sharapova)

– Sharapova up 2-0 in the second – Stosur let a 0-30 lead go to waste.  Nerves entering the mix?

– 1 hour in

– Stosur with a routine hold – still down a break

Stosur leads – 6-3, 1-2 (Sharapova is up a break)

– Sharapova’s grunt is just terrible – why?  It is like she is fighting off a rabid tiger or something

– Sharapova digs out of 0-30 again to 30-30 then 30-40 after a nice return from Stosur – break point – drop shot leads to deuce as it was a bad drop shot and Sharapova ate it alive – deuce – Time Violation – Ad – Stosur – McEnroe defending slow play – Double Fault 2-2

Stosur 1 point from 3-2 and 3 straight games

Stosur leads Sharapova 6-3, 3-2 (3 straight games to Stosur)

3-3 Sharapova w/ a routine hold to stop the bleeding – on serve

– Stosur hold at 15

Stosur leads Sharapova 6-3, 4-3 

– 0-15 Danger zone for Maria Sharapova

– Ugly backhand from Stosur 15-15

– 30-15 Stosur didn’t do much with a wild passing shot

– Error from Maria S and 30-30 – 6 points away for Stosur

– 2nd Serve, missed big FH from Stosur – went for it and missed 30-40, Carillo should know that was a calculated risk

– 2nd serve – big line and 4-4

Stosur leads Sharapova 6-3, 4-4

– Double fault 0-15

– 0-30 Sharapova took over that point and did not let go

– 0-40 big forehand miss

– Sharapova with 5 straight points since 3-6, 3-4, 30-30

Stosur leads Sharapova 6-3, 4-5 (Sharapova to serve for the 2nd set)

– Stosur up 0-15 to stem a 6 point tide

– 40-15 double set point – Stosur seemed to tighten up and Sharapova has expanded to take advantage

Sharapova tied with Stosur 3-6, 6-4

– Stosur looking gassed at 0-30 but gets a gift to 15-30

– Stosur is not a great retriever despite her athleticism

– 15-40

– break w/ errors to boot

Sharapova leads Stosur 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (up a break)

– 2-0 Sharapova this seems to be over

Sharapova leads Stosur 3-6, 6-4, 3-0

My wife called and well I missed blogging the last 3 games – I did not miss much

Sharapova d. Stosur 3-6, 6-4, 6-0

– This match proves what a mental game tennis is.  Stosur has the tools to do better than losing 9 straight games on clay to anyone on the WTA Tour, but she became unhinged when 6 points from the match and unraveled.  Sharapova was mentally much stronger.