Brave Sharapova holds nerve to progress in thriller

SECOND SEED Maria Sharapova saved two match points before progressing to the quarter-finals of the French Open after an epic fourth-round clash against Patty Schnyder yesterday.

The Russian, playing through pain at this year’s Roland Garros after her recent shoulder problems, held her nerve to claim a sensational 3-6 6-4 9-7 triumph, after more than two-and-a-half hours’ play on Suzanne Lenglen court.

Sharapova saved match points in the 10th and 14th games of the last set, only to clinch victory on the first of her own in the 16th and final game.

“I believe in myself. I said to myself I am not leaving here until I give it all I can. These are the moments you work for. I am a huge competitor. Don’t count on me giving up,” said Sharapova.

Schnyder will bemoan failure to finish off Sharapova, having served for the match on three occasions in the 77-minute final set.

Sharapova, never past quarter-finals in Paris, will next play Russia’s Anna Chakvetadze after the ninth seed beat Lucie Safarova 6-4 0-6 6-2.

Czech star Safarova came into the match buoyed after beating home favourite Amelie Mauresmo on Saturday, but she could not repeat her exploits.

Meanwhile Serena Williams says she is hitting form just at the right time after her straight-sets win over Dinara Safina.

The American, seeded eight, set up a mouthwatering quarter-final with reigning champion Justine Henin by dismissing the Russian.

“I feel better each match. I’m sliding better, I’m running better and I’m just playing the clay-court game a bit better,” said Williams afterwards.

Henin, the top seed, will meet Williams after securing a 6-2 6-4 win over Sybille Bammer.

The clash will bring up memories of the last match between the two players at Roland Garros, an ill-tempered semi-final won by Henin.

“I don’t want to reflect on that any more,” Williams said.

“This is a new year. We’re both different people now.”

Nicole Vaidisova, the sixth seed, made her way into the quarter-finals by thrashing Italy’s Tathiana Garbin 6-3 6-1 on Court 1. The Czech prodigy, 17, will play Jelena Jankovic in the last eight. Jankovic beat France’s Marion Bartoli 6-1 6-1.

Kuznetsova will meet Ana Ivanovic in the quarter-finals following the Serbian’s hard-fought 6-3 3-6 6-3 win over Anabel Medina Garrigues.

In the men’s, Tommy Robredo admits he must “pull out all the stops” if he is to halt Roger Federer’s progress.

Clay specialist Robredo, the ninth seed, set up a quarter-final with the world number one with a 6-2 7-5 6-1 rout of Filippo Volandri.

The Spaniard has not beaten Federer in seven attempts, including two matches on clay.

“I’m playing against the best player in the world and we’ll have to think about my game plan, my tactics,” he said.

Robredo has not dropped a set in his four matches so far, but has never progressed beyond the quarter-finals.

Federer, the top seed, set up the last-eight clash with Robredo by beating Youzhny 7-6 (7/3) 6-4 6-4 on Philippe Chatrier court.

There were only two other matches played in the men’s singles yesterday.

Number-four seed Nikolay Davydenko, tipped to challenge reigning champion Rafael Nadal and Federer for the title this year, saw off David Nalbandian 6-3 7-6 (7/1) 3-6 7-6 (7/2).

The Russian, a semi-finalist here in 2005, claimed victory with a forehand winner on the first of his four match points.

He will next play Guillermo Canas, who won the battle of the Argentinians as he stormed to a straight-sets triumph over unseeded compatriot Juan Monaco.

The 19th seed, twice a quarter-finalist at Roland Garros, was a comfortable 6-0 6-4 6-2 winner in little more than two hours.

Canas is playing in his first grand slam since a September 2006 15-month anti-doping suspension.

The other four last-16 matches, including Nadal’s clash with gritty Australian Lleyton Hewitt, will take place today.