Maria Sharapova a sniff of victory in her second-round escape against Alexandra Panova

Sharapova staged a miraculous comeback from down two breaks in the deciding set against fellow Russian Alexandra Panova, finally triumphing 6-1 4-6 7-5 at Rod Laver Arena.

Panova led 4-1, 30-0, serving in the deciding set, and had won the previous two points with consecutive aces out wide. Panova, who qualified for the main draw, was only six points away from a huge upset. She had broken Sharapova in the opening game of the third set as Sharapova threw in a double fault serving at 30-15. Doubt always washes through your game when you can’t get your serve in the box. Sharapova also lost her serve at 1-3, tossing in a double fault when she had an Ad in that game. Two points later, she was down two breaks and the end seemed nigh. Panova scorched the two aces, but the ensuing double fault, with both serves in the net, was effectively the beginning of the end. It was only losing one point, but the doubt and fear it represented was duly noted. Panova did lead 40-15, but four errors, including three consecutive backhand errors, provided Sharapova with the desperate hope that a way out of the hole was possible. 
 With the match in the balance, Sharapova’s serve grew legs. Serving at 3-5, she bombed an ace out wide on the first point, and an ace down the middle at 30-15. 
The aces sent the message that she was coming hard, and this match was far from cooked. Panova’s double fault at 4-1 had helped, but Sharapova still had serious work to do with Panova serving at match point, 5-4, 40-30.