STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Nagsimula at nagtapos sa kontrobersiyal ang pagbabalik-aksiyon ni Maria Sharapova mula sa 15-buwang suspension bunsod ng pagkakadawit sa droga.
Naungusan ni Mladenovic ang dating top-ranked Sharapova 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Nagmintis sa kanyang served and volley si Sharapova, sapat para makabawi si Mladenovic tungo sa come-from-behind panalo sa larong umabot nang dalawang oras at 38 minuto.
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“I would have loved to use more of the opportunities when I was up a set and a break and I think I lost like 12 out of the next 14 points. So I definitely had a bit of a let-down,” sambit ni Sharapova.
Makakaharap ng 19th-ranked Mladenovic, sinibak din si two-time defending champion Angelique Kerber nitong Huwebes, si last year’s runner-up Laura Siegemund, nagwagi sa card advanced.
Binatikos ng kapwa player si Sharapova matapos bigyan ng wild card.
“I’m moving in Europe in the next couple of months and this is what I want to go through. I want to go through the matches. I want to see how my body responds, how I feel. I want to feel that match play, I want to feel the tiredness of match play,” Sharapova said.
