Second seed Maria Sharapova, having survived one close shave, will look to sharpen her claycourt form when she takes on local favourite Aravane Rezai in the French Open second round on Thursday.



The Wimbledon champion came close to being bundled out by compatriot Evgenia Linetsakaya before winning 6-7 6-2 6-4 but she has no intention of tweaking her all-action style against her French opponent.



"I'm not going to change my game and all of a sudden become a typical clay court...

QUESTION:
This was a tough match at the beginning of a very long tournament. Do you enjoy tough matches at the beginning? Is it a special game for you or does it have a special meaning playing a fellow Russian girl, one of the many Russian girls which are so dominant now?



MARIA SHARAPOVA:
Yeah, when I came off the court, you know, I really thought these are the sort of matches I play for because, you know, I would have loved to win 1 and 0. That would have been g...

Maria Sharapova dispensed with the glamour and employed her Russian grit to survive a nerve-jangling first round clash with compatriot Evgenia Linetskaya at the French Open on Tuesday.



The Wimbledon champion and world number two was stretched to the limit by her game opponent but clawed her way to a 6-7 6-2 6-4 victory on court Suzanne Lenglen.



A bank of photographers had been attracted by Sharapova's appearance on Roland Garros's second showcourt but it was the little-know...

The draw for second Grand Slam of the Year, Roland Garros, has been released and Maria is second seed. In the first round Maria will play fellow Russian Evguénia Linetskaya. Maria has never played Linetskaya before.


The first seed Maria can meet is Paola Suarez of Argentinia in the third round.


The schedule of play will be announched later


Click here for the full draw

Maria is out of the Telecom Italia Masters in Rome after she lost to Patti Schnyder of Switzerland in the semis 6-3 3-6 1-6.


"No, I'm not disappointed," said Sharapova. "I've had a pretty good preparation (for the French Open starting on May 23). I'd rather play well at a grand slam.



"I just have to be more patient. I have to be ready and willing to hit an extra ball"


"There are still things I have to learn in tennis. I went for too much at the wrong times.

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