Maria Sharapova storms past Rebecca Peterson to set up blockbuster match with Australian Open defending champion Caroline Wozniacki
- Maria Sharapova beat Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson 6-2, 6-1 in Melbourne
- She’ll now face Australian Open defending champion Caroline Wozniacki
- Sharapova was banned for 15 months for taking the drug meldonium in 2016
Former Australian Open winner Maria Sharapova continued her marauding form in handing out a 6-2, 6-1 thrashing to Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson on Wednesday and set up a blockbuster third-round showdown with defending champion Caroline Wozniacki.
The Russian 30th seed, who was suspended for 15 months for taking banned drug meldonium in 2016, broke her 23-year-old opponent twice in the opening set and peppered the court with powerful groundstrokes in a superb display of hitting.
Sharapova, who beat Harriet Dart 6-0, 6-0 in her opening round, won seven consecutive games to take a 4-0 lead in the second set before world No 64 Peterson could get on the board.
Maria Sharapova beat Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson 6-2, 6-1 at the Australian Open
The Russian did not face a single breakpoint in the match and sealed it in 71 minutes with a third break in the set.
In a clash of former world No 1 players, the five-times Grand Slam winner will next meet Dane Wozniacki, who eased past Johanna Larsson 6-1 6-3 earlier in the day.
Defending champions Caroline Wozniacki is next in to face Sharapova in round three