Sharapova marches into French Open second round
May 29, 2012 — Updated 1620 GMT (0020 HKT)
Maria Sharapova is seeking to win her first French Open title and in the process, complete a career slam
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Maria Sharapova doesn’t drop a game during emphatic first round win at French Open
- World No. 2 beats Romanian Alexandra Cadantu 6-0 6-0 in just 48 minutes
- Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova beats Australia’s Ashleigh Barty 6-1 6-2
(CNN) — Maria Sharapova took just 48 minutes to book her place in the second round of the French Open, beating Romania’s Alexandra Cadantu 6-0 6-0.
The world No.2 is seeking to complete a career slam with victory at Roland Garros — the only major championship she is yet to win.
Sharapova has only been beaten once on clay all season, in the Madrid Open final, and has taken titles in both Stuttgart and Rome leading into the tournament in Paris.
And the Russian looked in merciless mood on Court Suzanne Lenglen as she set up a second round clash with Japan’s Ayumi Morita.
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“Nothing is ever easy, because you have to face whoever is across the net,” Sharapova told a press conference.
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“No matter how good or bad they’re playing, you still have to win that match. That was just my goal today.
“I’m really happy with the way my preparation has been coming into this tournament. I feel like with every year I’ve improved and enjoy it much more.
“Every year I learn a lot more about the game and point construction. I feel like I’m moving a lot better than I did years previously, which has helped me a lot in the recovery process within the point.
“All of that gives me a lot of confidence for this tournament.”
“It’s been a solid year. I started the year off on a really good note. I was healthy. I had a pretty good off-season, I would say. I was practicing well.
“It hasn’t actually been as long as I’ve wanted it to be because of the ankle, but I started off with really good, high energy. I was really positive, and it’s paying off.”
Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the No. 4 seed, also enjoyed a comfortable passage into round two.
The Czech defeated 16-year-old Australian Ashleigh Barty 6-1 6-2 in just under an hour and will face Poland’s Urszula Radwanska in the next round.
The 2010 champion, Francesca Schiavone of Italy, enjoyed a 6-3 6-1 victory over Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm.
Britain’s Heather Watson enjoyed a 6-2 6-4 victory over Russia’s Elena Vesnina and she will now face Germany’s No. 25 seed Julia Goerges.
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