By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, April 27, 2017
Standing behind the baseline, Maria Sharapova smacked her racquet against the sole of her shoes dislodging bits of red clay.
On day two of her comeback, Sharapova shook off the rust from 15 months of inactivity to stretch her dominance over a former Fed Cup teammate.
Watch: Sharapova Comeback Controversy
Steering through a tense opening set, Sharapova steamrolled through eight of the last nine games dispatching compatriot Ekaterina Makarova, 7-5, 6-1, to advance to the Stuttgart quarterfinals for the fourth time.
Sharapova smacked nine aces, including two in a row to seal the win, against seven double faults, won 85 percent of her first-serve points and did not drop serve.
The former world No. 1, who beat Roberta Vinci yesterday in her comeback match after serving a 15-month doping ban, moved with more assurance today.
In a match of first-strike tennis, Sharapova often beat the former world No. 8 to the punch in rallies.
It was Sharapova’s seventh victory over Makarova in as many meetings.
"Practice is so different," Sharapova said afterward. "You can never quite prepare. You can prepare the best you can and then go out and trust it. Being in the quarterfinals again is quite special."
The three-time Stuttgart champion will face red-hot Estonian qualifier Anett Kontaveit for a spot in Saturday’s semifinals. Kontaveit has won nine of her last 10 matches, including reaching her first WTA final at the inaugural Biel event two weeks ago and surprising reigning Roland Garros champion Garbine Muguruza yesterday.
Down love-30 in the ninth game, Sharapova turned up the pace punishing a backhand crosscourt winner then smacking her second ace. Sharapova streamed through four straight points holding for 5-4 with a firm “come on!”.
Forty-one minutes into the match, Makarova earned the first break point of the day. Slashing a forehand down the line, Makarova sent Sharapova off the court and had a clear look at a crosscourt backhand, but nudged it wide. Makarova tried smiling off the miss, but couldn’t shake it’s effect.
Cranking two first serves, Sharapova slammed her third ace down the middle for 6-5.
Continuing to drive the ball deep, Sharapova rattled out successive errors from her compatriot earning double-set point when Makarova scattered a backhand wide.
On her second set point, Sharapova skipped near the service line for a short ball and sledge-hammered an inside-out forehand winner for a one-set lead after 48 minutes of play.
Sharapova smacked 17 winners more than doubling Makarova’s winner total of eight in the opening set.
Swinging more freely in the second set, Sharapova continued to beat down Makarova in baseline exchanges.
The 30-year-old Russian slashed successive aces to complete a 79-minute victory.