Wimbledon: Sharapova hits back at Simon after tough win

Published on 29/06/2012 02:45

Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams both took another step deeper into the tournament as they progressed into the third round at Wimbledon.

Top seed Sharapova resumed against dangerous Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova in a match which had been suspended due to bad light on Wednesday night. Sharapova was one set and a break ahead overnight but lost the second set on a tie-break.

However, the 25-year-old Russian hit back in the third set to win 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (7/3), 6-0 and will next play Chinese Taipei’s Su-Wei Hsieh. In her press conference, the Russian superstar mocked Frenchman Gilles Simon for saying women do not deserve the same prize money as men, pointing out drily that “there are a few more people that watch my matches than his”.

Williams, who is seeking her fifth women’s singles title, brushed aside Melinda Czink 6-1, 6-4 on Centre Court. The sixth seed will face China’s Jie Zheng in the fourth round after the 25th seed won her match against Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak. Second-ranked Victoria Azarenka was hardly troubled in her second-round match against Romina Oprandi, routing the Swiss player 6-2, 6-0 in just 51 minutes.

Ninth seed and 2007 finalist Marion Bartoli lost her second-round match against Mirjana Lucic of Croatia who, as a 17-year-old, was the lowest ranked player ever to reach a Grand Slam semi-final when she lost to Steffi Graf at Wimbledon way back in 1999. Lucic spent a decade in the tennis wilderness due to off-court problems but enjoyed the best result of her comeback, beating the Frenchwoman 6-4, 6-3.

Ana Ivanovic progressed into the third round after she beat Kateryna Bondarenko 6-3, 7-6 (7/3). The No 14 seed will face Germany’s Julia Goerges in the next round after she triumphed against Anastasiya Yakimova in straight sets.

Goerges, the 22nd seed, won 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 on Court Four.

Italy’s Roberta Vinci booked her place in the third round with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Marina Erakovic, while Tamira Paszek brushed aside Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-1.