FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Maybe some higher power is looking favorably on Maria Sharapova, because the rain came at the right time tonight.
With the No. 3 seed down a break in the third set against Nadia Petrova, the sky’s opened for a 75 minute rain delay, and after play resumed, she took a 6-1 4-6 6-4 win to make the Quarterfinals for the first time since she won the Open in 2006.
“It’s a tough situation because I felt like there’s so many ups and downs between the beginning of the first till that break.,” Sharapova said. “She was up a break and it was a little bit difficult going in because I felt like I started getting a little bit of momentum back in the second set and then just didn’t really take my chances when I had them and played a sloppy game at 4‑5.
“But I didn’t really mind. I have the experience of getting off the court and waiting a little bit and trying to start from scratch.”
Petrova called it Sharapova’s “lucky day” but you have to give Maria a little more credit than that. She has been on a tear this year, winning the French Open and looking determined to get her second Open next Saturday.
And today, she grinded it out against her fellow country woman, who seemed to be a lot more psky in the second, with Sharapova making a ton of mistakes.
And Petrova had her on the ropes, but Sharapova came out pumped looking to end any threat.
“You’re playing a night match at the US Open, you have a rain delay, you come back, and all the same people that were there waited through for 45 minutes and they came back to watch the end of the match,” she said. “So that energy in the stadium with the music and the cheering, it’s just unique. You know, I think it really, really pumped me up and got me going. I wasn’t going to leave that court without a fight.”
After she came out, she quickly put the set back on serve and gave Petrova no chance against her first service. Petrova’s great serve was shut down by the Russian in the final games.
“That was really important, especially against Nadia,” she said. “One of her strengths is her serve. You know, when it’s on and she’s holding easy, that obviously puts more pressure on the service game.
“You really try to concentrate on that, you know, be smart and mix it up a little bit more. Overall I’m really happy with the way it came out in the third. I didn’t let that little letdown bother me. I just kept on fighting.”
Now she will take on Marion Bartoli, who roars into the Quarters with a 1-6, 6-2, 6-0 win over Petra Kvitova.
“We haven’t played in a while. It was a great win for her today, someone who has been playing really good this summer,” she said. “Yeah, it’s nice to see her back in the quarterfinals of a slam. I think she’s been a little bit up and down, but obviously her level has stepped up here. Honestly, I haven’t watched any of her matches here.
“I played her before; I know her game style. It’s always a little bit different, nontraditional. But, yeah, it’s the quarterfinals and I’m excited.”
Hopefully, Sharapova won’t need the rain gods for this one.
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