Maria Sharapova relied on her famous battling qualities as she came from a break down in the deciding set to oust fellow Russian Nadia Petrova in a riveting French Open second-round match today.
Sharapova, who has plummeted down the world rankings to 102 after missing close to a year with a shoulder injury, was behind 4-2 in the third set but recovered to claim a 6-2 1-6 8-6 victory against the 11th seed.
It was 22-year-old Sharapova at her tenacious best and she said: ‘This was a great match where I had to fight my way through many, many challenges, and I did.
‘This type of match is really important for me, and for my game.
‘I am spending a little more time out there than I want to but I am learning so many new things as well.’
Sharapova, who needed three sets to beat Anastasiya Yakimova in the first round, is playing in her first Major since Wimbledon last year and her low ranking makes her a dangerous floater in the draw.
A semi-finalist here two years ago, she will next play Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova.
Earlier, top seed Dinara Safina maintained her stunning early form at Roland Garros by making short work of fellow Russian Vitalia Diatchenko to breeze into the third round.
The world number one trounced her compatriot 6-1 6-1 with a performance that was almost as convincing as her first-round defeat of Britain's Anne Keothavong, when she did not lose a game.
‘I'm doing the basic things right,’ said Safina, who could meet reigning champion Ana Ivanovic in the quarter-finals.
‘It's a pretty good start to the tournament, a bit different to last year.’
Safina was quickly into her stride on Suzanne Lenglen court, breaks in the second and fourth games to open up a 5-0 lead.
Diatchenko, 18, managed to hold serve for the first time in game six but Safina responded to claim the opening set in just 28 minutes.
A stuttering start to the second set by Safina saw the pair exchange breaks in the opening two games but after she regained her composure, it was plain sailing from then on.
‘She is very young and maybe she respected me too much,’ Safina said of Diatchenko.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the 27th seed and another player from Russia, sealed a third-round date with Safina with a 6-2 7-6 (7/2) win against France's Julie Coin.
Ivanovic is also showing decent form as she bids to defend the title she claimed by beating Safina in straight sets in last year's final.
The Serbian, seeded eighth, swept aside the challenge of Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn to win 6-1 6-2 on Philippe Chatrier court and set up a meeting with 32nd seed Iveta Benesova.
‘This was a good match to try some things out,’ said Ivanovic.
‘I think my serve is getting more aggressive, which I'm happy about.’
Discounting Sharapova's win over Petrova, the biggest surprise of the day came on Court Seven, where 15th seed Jie Zheng was upset by Portuguese 16-year-old Michelle Larcher De Brito, a qualifier.
While Dominika Cibulkova (20), Agnes Szavay (29) and Na Li (25) were comfortable seeded winners, Belarus' Victoria Azarenka, the ninth seed, was forced to battle before overcoming Kristina Barrois 7-6 (7/1) 7-5.
