Reigning Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber beat Maria Sharapova 6-2 6-3 after 1 hour and 31 minutes to advance to the quarter final at the Mallorca Open on grass.
Sharapova was playing just her second match since withdrawing from St. Petersburg.
Kerber and Sharapova met for the ninth time in their career. Kerber beat her Russian rival in their four most recent head-to-head clashes including their only clash on grass at Wimbledon in 2014.
Kerber fired 18 aces to 5 unforced errors. The German player earned her first break after a backhand error from Sharapova and fended off three break points in the next game to hold her serve for 2-0.
Kerber hit a forehand down the line winner to get a double break in the seventh game and closed out the first set with a hold at 15.
The three-time Grand Slam champion got an early break in the third game of the second set at 1-1 and went up a double break at 4-2. Sharapova pulled a break back in the eighth game to claw her way back to 3-5, as Kerber was serving for the match.
Kerber closed out the match by breaking straight back at love in the ninth game to book her spot in the quarter final.
“It’s always tough to play against Maria, especially in the second round. I think everybody was enjoying the match, and we gave our best today. It’s great to be back here in Mallorca. I love this place and I am looking forward to playing my next match”, said Kerber.
