MARIA SHARAPOVA IN QUARTER-FINALS OF THE FRENCH OPEN 2014

A set and 3-4 down, Maria Sharapova flicked the switch to overdrive, shaking a spirited early challenge from Sam Stosur, before breaking her resolve to take the last nine games of the match on Suzanne Lenglen Court and run out a 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 winner. 

In the quarter-finals, she will face Garbine Muguruza, who overcame French wildcard Pauline Parmentier.

The Russian seventh seed, looking to reach her third straight Roland Garros final, having won the title in 2012 and falling in the final to Serena Williams last year, continued her domination of the Australian, now having won 14 of their 16 encounters.

It was Stosur, though, he started the stronger. The 2010 runner-up and two-time former semi-finalist drew first blood in their pair’s first match at Grand Slam level, breaking on her fourth opportunity for 4-3 before running around her backhand to hit a huge forehand winner down the line to bring up set point on the Sharapova service. She would take it when the Russian double-faulted after 48 minutes, and with a record of 25 wins from 26 matches at Roland Garros when having taken the first set, Stosur was brimming with confidence.

Serving with a break at 2-1 in the second, Sharapova was given a time violation warning. It was enough to rattle her. She threw in a backhand error and a double fault to concede the break, Stosur riding her aggression on the forehand wing to 4-3, two games from taking down the new title favourite.

From there, the wheels well and truly fell off. The 19^th seed dropped service to love with Sharapova going on to level proceedings 6-3 when a Stosur forehand sailed long. The disappointment at dropping the set lingered for Stosur and she would never recover. Sharapova was swinging freely and with the Australian’s confidence dwindling upon each missed ground-stroke and volley, the scoreline quickly blew out 5-0.

Sharapova brought up match point with a backhand winner down the line and despite double-faulting on the first, made amends with an ace bringing up match point No.2 and wrong-footing forehand winner to close it out after two hours and three minutes.

“It was such a difficult beginning for me. Samantha played so well the first set and a half,” Sharapova said. “It’s a big step. It’s obviously a step you want to get to [the second week of a major]."