Maria Sharapova wins over fans and convinces despite loss

It has been a long time since Maria Sharapova arrived on court with the cold, calculating demeanour that suggests there will be only one winner. She may have been beaten yesterday by Justine Henin in the third round at Roland Garros, but her sense was that of a certainty that she is back.

At 2-0, 40-0 on the Belgian’s serve at the final-set resumption to a match that had been stopped the previous evening in shocking light, Sharapova had the four-times former champion at her mercy. A championship-tight Russian would never have wasted such an opportunity.

Henin decided that she should retain the aggressive instincts that have become more ingrained into her game since her return at the start of the year. She came in to the net, attacked and startled Sharapova, turning the deficit around for a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory. “I need to work a lot more on my intensity,” Henin, who next faces Samantha Stosur, of Australia, said. “I knew that Maria would come out in the manner she did after her play last night.”

Even the Parisian crowd, who have been hostile to the Russian, warmed to the sight of Sharapova proving more of a match than they had expected. One French journalist showered her with such appreciation she asked if he would come to all of her conferences.

Now comes the grass for Sharapova and she is one with a realistic chance of challenging for Serena Williams’s crown at Wimbledon. Confirmation that the 23-year-old will take her usual spot in the AEGON Classic in Birmingham next week is expected today.

Venus Williams also has grass on her mind after a 6-4, 6-3 defeat by Nadia Petrova, who is playing with confidence and meets Elena Dementieva for the right to continue Russia’s challenge for the women’s title.