Smashing Sharapova Back in Swing -- Tennis FanHouse

It shouldn't have stood out so much, but when Maria Sharapova beat No. 11 Nadia Petrova Wednesday in the second round of the French Open, it was sort of shocking how hard she was fighting.

Call her Killer Barbie

Maybe it was just the contrast from the way Serena Williams played a day earlier, grumping around the court with her head down, then afraid to try to hit a good shot on match point. But it just seemed that there is a killer inside Sharapova, and it was so clear that it seemed in contrast to so many of the other top women.

No, that doesn't apply to Dinara Safina, who is playing like a champ. She has lost just two games in the first two rounds. But for Sharapova, it was 10 months away from the tour, other than one quick mid-level tournament stop, following major shoulder surgery.

She was playing on her worst surface. At times, her first serve wasn't breaking 90 mph. And still rusty, she wasn't running well. Yet she still had the mental edge over the No. 11 player in the world, coming from behind in crunch time.

"I kind of started stumbling away," said Sharapova, who won 6-2, 1-6, 8-6. "Things went in the wrong direction. I was just glad I could pick myself up and keep fighting."

This was a classic example of how important the mental side of the game is, even more so than in the men's game. Petrova has been known to have issues there, brain cramps.

Sharapova had no place winning this match against a two-time French Open semifinalist. But so many women on tour play exactly the same style now, blasting away without a lot of strategy, and no one at the top level has a commanding physical advantage.

French Open Photos

Russian player Marat Safin picks himself off the ground during play against French player Josselin Ouanna during their French Open tennis second round match on May 27, 2009 at Roland Garros stadium in Paris. Ouanna won 7/6,7/6,4/6,3/6,7/6,10/8. TOPSHOTS/AFP PHOTO / PATRICK KOVARIK (Photo credit should read PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images)

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Josselin Ouanna of France plays a shot during his match against Marat Safin of Russia at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris May 27, 2009. REUTERS/Charles Platiau (FRANCE SPORT TENNIS)

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Marat Safin of Russia reacts after falling during his match against Josselin Ouanna of France at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris May 27, 2009. REUTERS/Charles Platiau (FRANCE)

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Marat Safin of Russia reacts during his match against Josselin Ouanna of France at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris May 27, 2009. REUTERS/Charles Platiau (FRANCE SPORT TENNIS)

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Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic plays a shot during her match against Venus Williams of the U.S. at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris May 27, 2009. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau (FRANCE SPORT TENNIS)

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Venus Williams of the U.S. plays a shot during her match against Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris May 27, 2009. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau (FRANCE SPORT TENNIS)

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Josselin Ouanna of France reacts during his match against Marat Safin of Russia at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris May 27, 2009. REUTERS/Charles Platiau (FRANCE SPORT TENNIS)

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Venus Williams of the U.S. is seen during her match against Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris May 27, 2009. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau (FRANCE SPORT TENNIS)

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That's why we can see bulldog players such as Jelena Dokic and Kim Clijsters step away for a few years and come right back and fit in. Just watch: Clijsters returns in August, and in September she will have a run through the U.S. Open.

And we've seen Safina folding up in majors before, and defending champ Ana Ivanovic falling apart for 12 months under the pressure of reaching No. 1 briefly, and Williams disappearing over the past four of five tournaments.

So how refreshing it was to see Sharapova again, walking around between points with her arm held down tight to her side and her fist clenched.

"She really showed," Petrova said, "even though she has been out for a while, she's willing to compete till the end."

In fairness to Williams, the reason she finally did close out the unknown Klara Zakopalova in the first round Tuesday was that Zakopalova didn't have the mental toughness Williams had.

The women's tour has had five different players reach No. 1 since Sharapova arrived in France last year on top. And a debate about the tour is whether that shows that no one is really good enough to be the best, or maybe that the tour has so much depth that one player can't emerge.

The truth is, it's the first one. Williams doesn't fight unless she's at a major, and Safina, who seems ready, hasn't shown the mental edge at the big moment yet.

Sharapova has a clear path now to the quarterfinals to play Venus Williams. It's amazing how she just stepped right back in. She doesn't have quite as much talent as Serena or Safina, but after watching her on Wednesday, I'm not sure that even matters.

Killer Barbie will be there for the fight.

Maria Sharapova Photos

PARIS - MAY 27: Maria Sharapova of Russia hits a forehand during her Women's Singles Second Round match against Nadia Petrova of Russia on day four of the French Open at Roland Garros on May 27, 2009 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Maria Sharapova

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Russia's Maria Sharapova serves the ball to compatriot Nadia Petrova during their second round match at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Wednesday May 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Russia's Maria Sharapova returns the ball to compatriot Nadia Petrova during their second round match at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Wednesday May 27, 2009. Sharapova won 6-2, 1-6, 8-6. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Russia's Maria Sharapova jubilates after winning against Russia's Nadia Petrova during the French Open tennis second round match on May 27, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Sharapova won 6/1,1/6,8/6. AFP PHOTO / JACQUES DEMARTHON (Photo credit should read JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP/Getty Images)

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PARIS - MAY 27: Maria Sharapova of Russia celebrates a point during her Women's Singles Second Round match against Nadia Petrova of Russia on day four of the French Open at Roland Garros on May 27, 2009 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Maria Sharapova

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PARIS - MAY 27: Maria Sharapova of Russia looks on during her Women's Singles Second Round match against Nadia Petrova of Russia on day four of the French Open at Roland Garros on May 27, 2009 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Maria Sharapova

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Russia's Maria Sharapova returns a ball to Russia's Nadia Petrova during the French Open tennis second round match on May 27, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Sharapova won 6/1,1/6,8/6. AFP PHOTO / JACQUES DEMARTHON (Photo credit should read JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Russia's Nadia Petrova returns a ball to Russia's Maria Sharapova during the French Open tennis second round match on May 27, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Sharapova won 6/1,1/6,8/6. AFP PHOTO / JACQUES DEMARTHON (Photo credit should read JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

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