TENNIS Mutua Madrid Open 2014 – Maria Sharapova will be challenging Romanian Simona Halep in the final of the Mutua Madrid Open 2014 after coming through her semi-final clash against Agnieszka Radwanska during the day session in Madrid. From Madrid, Simone Kemler
Interviews, results, order of play and draws of the Mutua Madrid Open
Maria Sharapova will be challenging Romanian Simona Halep in the final of the Mutua Madrid Open 2014 after coming through her semi-final clash against Agnieszka Radwanska during the day session in Madrid. The Russian player came flying out the blocks to win the first set 6-1. Her momentum carried her through to a three-game lead in the second, but Radwanska rallied to win the next four games and take the lead in the second set.
At a crucial point of the match, the world number 3 was unable to hold her serve and gave ground back to a Sharapova who was enjoying a successful day on the baseline. The Russian was successful in cutting down Radwanska’s angles and so stop her from playing her game. In the end, the break at 4-3 was decisive and with 6-1 6-4 Maria Sharapova sealed her passage to the final of the Madrid tournament for the second consecutive year. There, she will be looking for her first win on the clay in Madrid. Also this will be one of the rare occasions where Sharapova takes on the Romanian: ” … like I… said, we haven’t played in a really long time, but she’s been playing really well. Not just this tournament, but for the last year. I think she’s 5 in the world now. So it’s the highest that she’s been in her career and playing the best tennis of her career. So definitely be a tough match for me. I’m looking forward to it.” Sharapova answered in a pre-final comment on the qualities of her opponent, but also the Russian herself did not have too bad of a start into the 2014 clay court season – a surface that she feels more and more confident on: ” … I really challenge myself to improve on clay courts because that was never my favorite surface in the beginning of my career. I’ve done a really good job of transitioning from the hard to the clay and really improving physically and recovering well from match to match. I think that’s helped me a lot. I’ve benefitted from that in the last couple of years. You know, I enjoy playing on all surfaces. I like the challenges that they all bring. They’re all so different, including grass courts. … I’ve been really happy that I’ve been able to change my results in the last few years on clay.”
The careful observer of Sharapova in this year’s week in Madrid saw a player who seems to need that personal challenge – it is impressive to witness how she seems to overcome mental ‘downs’ and the odd lack of concentration to finally succeed. One can speculate that a possible win in Madrid paired with a satisfying performance in Rome might do the trick this year to bring her success in Roland Garros, especially when Serena Williams is facing her on the other side of the net.
