Former world No.1 Maria Sharapova, now ranked 102nd, for the fourth time in a row at the 2009 French Open showed her well-known characteristics that brought her loads of fans, her ever-present fighting spirit combined with powerful tennis. Sharapova beat Li Na 6-4 0-6 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals, even though it wasn’t expected as Sharapova played her first singles match in nine months only two weeks ago.

Li Na was leading 4-2 in the deciding set, but just as it seemed Sharapova would slowly vanish from the tournament, she won four games in a row to upset Li and prevent her from becoming the first Chinese to reach the Roland Garros quarterfinals. The Russian closed out the match on her first match point.

Sharapova’s next opponent will be seed No.20 Dominika Cibulkova, who beat No.29 seed Agnes Szavay 6-2 6-4 in the fourth round.

The only Grand Slam title missing in Sharapova’s collection is the French Open one. (photo: Stephane Martinache)

Fighter Maria Sharapova played only one tournament since her comeback from a career-threatening shoulder injury and she managed to overcome a miserable start to beat Kazakh world No.98 Yaroslava Shvedova 1-6 6-3 6-4 in the third round of the French Open.

The 102nd-ranked former world No.1 displayed the champion inside her, just like in the previous round when she battled past 11th seed Nadia Petrova, and came back from behind to advance to the fourth round.

Sharapova is enjoying her role of an underdog at the French Open, as now the crowd is loving her. In 2007 and 2008 she was booed off after being knocked out.

"You're ranked outside the Top 100, so people like you," said the Russian. "When you're number one in the world, for some reason they don't like you anymore. It's amazing how the society works."

Sharapova will next face China's Li Na, seeded 25th. (source: Sky Sports, photo: Stephane Martinache)

The most interesting match-up of the day lived up to the expectations with Maria Sharapova defeating No.11 seed Nadia Petrova 6-2 1-6 8-6 in the second round of the 2009 French Open. World No.1 and top seed Dinara Safina eased into the third round with a 6-1 6-1 victory over fellow Russian Vitalia Diatchenko, ranked 151st.

I had given Petrova a slight edge over Sharapova, having in mind Sharapova’s lack of match play (she returned to tennis only last week, after a nine-month long layoff). But as I said, just a slight edge, because of Sharapova’s fighting spirit which will always remain part of her.

The world No.102 Sharapova took the opening set 6-2, before Nadia Petrova, two-time semifinalist at Roland Garros, won the second 6-1. The third set lasted 71 minutes and I believe it’s a testimony that Sharapova is definitely back: she’s able to come from behind, play long matches, and is in full possession of her championship spirit.

Next for the three-time Grand Slam winner is Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan.

Safina, by far the most dominant player of the claycourt season, has lost only two games in her first two matches at this year’s Roland Garros, and spent less than two hours on court.

Safina, who is now on a 17-match winning streak, will face another Russian in the third round, 27th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova who beat France's Julie Coin 6-2 7-6(2). (photo: Stephane Martinache)

Wearing a new colorful EleVen dress, Venus Williams made her way into the second round of Roland Garros. The seven-time Grand Slam champion beat fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-1 4-6 6-2. Maria Sharapova also progressed in three sets, defeating world No.64 Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus 3-6 6-1 6-2.

Williams has never won the French Open, and was upset in the third round in three of the last four years, but she was a runner-up to her sister Serena in 2002. In addition, she holds a 36-12 record at Roland Garros, which makes her the player with most wins in the women's draw at the tournament.

Sharapova, now ranked only 102nd, lost the first set, but stormed through the next two to reach the second round of Roland Garros and book a meeting with seed No.11 Nadia Petrova, who will be Sharapova's toughest opponent since her recent comeback to competitive tennis. The third-seeded Williams will face Lucie Safarova in the second round.

Upsets: So far on Day 2, seed No.14 Flavia Pennetta and seed No.23 Alisa Kleybanova lost in the first round. Pennetta was upset by American world No.116 Alexa Glatch 6-1 6-1. Did anyone see what happened to Pennetta to have won only two games? Kleybanova lost to Slovenia's Polona Hercog, ranked 167th, 6-2 4-6 6-1. (source: AP, photos via Roland Garros, Yahoo)

Maria Sharapova wasn’t strong enough to pass her third obstacle at the Warsaw Open. Ukraine’s Alona Bondarenko defeated the Russian in the quarterfinals of the event.

Sharapova was victories in the first two matches of her singles comeback, but fell to the eighth-seeded Bondarenko 6-2 6-2, which we can’t say we weren’t prepared for.

It’s interesting to read Bondarenko’s opinion about Sharapova’s form after the nine-month injury layoff.

"I have played her (Sharapova) twice before her injury and I thought the match would be harder," the world No.39 said. "She makes more mistakes than before the injury… her serve was a little slower."

Despite losing, Sharapova is happy with her achievement at the Warsaw Open, and believes that she had the best preparation for the upcoming French Open. However, the current world No.126 is keeping her expectations low. (source: Reuters, photos: Ralf Reinecke)

Maria Sharapova’s return to competitive tennis is progressing very well, as the Russian comfortably defeated Darya Kustova of Belarus 6-2 6-0 to win the second singles match she played after the nine-month injury layoff and reach the quarterfinals of the Warsaw Open.

The 22-year-old three-time Grand Slam champion showed signs of her glory, playing much more consistently than in the first-round three-setter against Italy's Tathiana Garbin.

Sharapova will next have a stiffer test, as she’ll fight eighth seed Alona Bondarenko for a place in the semifinals of the Warsaw Open.

Additional info: Sharapova is expected to play Roland Garros, and then to continue her comeback at the June 8-14 AEGON Classic in Birmingham, which will be her preparation for grasscourt Wimbledon. (photo: Ralf Reinecke)

Today at Warsaw Open, Maria Sharapova was playing her first singles match since August 2008 and the much-missed three-time Grand Slam champion won 6-1 6-7(6) 6-3 against Tathiana Garbin of Italy.

The 22-year-old Russian has seen her world ranking slump to No.126 during her absence because of a shoulder injury. It wasn't too encouraging, but even today she wore a criss-crossed bandage on her right shoulder.

Sharapova secured her place in the second round of the claycourt tournament despite being taken to the deciding set. Wild card Sharapova looked well on her way to win the match, having four match points at 5-3 and 40-0 in the ninth game of the second set, but she allowed the 68th-ranked Garbin to extend the set and take the tiebreak 8-6. However, Sharapova had energy left and even came back from 3-1 down in the decider to eventually seal victory.

Sharapova’s opponent in the second round of the Warsaw Open was expected to be top seed Caroline Wozniacki, but the Dane has withdrawn today with back injury.

"I really wanted to play here in Warsaw. I know I have a lot of polish fans but I have had this back injury for two weeks," said Wozniacki. "The physiotherapist told me that if I want to be able to accomplish anything at the French Open I have to take a break so that my condition does not get any worse."

Sharapova’s next opponent will be one of the lucky losers: either Lenka Tvaroskova or Darya Kustova.

By the way, as always with Maria, we have to mention her outfit. I like this one, too. The color reminds me of spring and summer fruits and ice-cream. The design is also cute. (photo: Ralf Reinecke)

As you know, Maria Sharapova is making her long-awaited comeback from shoulder injury at the May 18-23 Warsaw Open. It’s cute to see the Russian so determined that she’s even training in rain.

Sharapova will play her first competitive singles match since last August. She played doubles with Elena Vesnina at this year’s Indian Wells, but lost in the opening round already.

In the first round of the Warsaw Open, wild card Maria Sharapova will face Tathiana Garbin. Should she beat Garbin, in the second round she will probably play top seed Caroline Wozniacki, runner-up today at Madrid Open. (photos via Warsaw Open)