Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas has lost to World No.2 Maria Sharapova in the third round of the Australian Open, Tengrinews reports citing Vesti.kz. The match lasted 61 minutes and ended with a score of 6:1, 6:1.
Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas has lost to World No.2 Maria Sharapova in the third round of the Australian Open, Tengrinews reports citing Vesti.kz. The match lasted 61 minutes and ended with a score of 6:1, 6:1.
The first set was not so fortunate for Diyas as she lost four games in a row to her opponent and managed to grab only one. Thus, Sharapova confidently won the first set scoring 6:1 in 26 minutes.
Then in the second set, Diyas broke Sharapova’s serve in the beginning, but then the Sharapova beat Diyas in the next six games, thus winning the set and consequently the match.
As a result, the five-time Grand Slam winner progressed to the fourth round of Australian Open where on Sunday she faced China's Peng Shuai.
Although World No. 32 Diyas lost the match, playing against Sharapova on the court was a big test for the 21-year-old WTA Rising Star from Kazakhstan.
After the match, Sharapova said that Diyas could be a tough player if she had time to change down the line as she prefers doing, thus hitting flat and low. “I started this match being very concentrated. Before that, I had a long and tough game. So today, I wanted to play strong from the beginning to the end. I believe I did a good job. She (Zarina Diyas) is a young and progressive tennis player, " Sharapova said after the match.
For Russia's Sharapova, the match with Diyas was a relief after she barely survived a match with her compatriot and World No. 135 Alexandra Panova in the second round on Wednesday fighting off two match points in the third set, thus winning the match with a score of 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.
By Assel Satubaldina