The rust was evident in the first set against Kazakh star Yaroslava Shvedova. Maria over-hit ground strokes, flailed at serves and often seemed out of place with long strides better suited for grass than with the shorter, quicker moves needed for clay.

After a 1-6 thumping in set one, Maria came out firing in set two. She broke in game 5 and rode the break to a 6-3 reversal squaring the match. Suddenly, Sharapova had Yaorslava on the run from side to side and pinned deep behind the baseline.

To her credit, Yaroslava hung on. In a match with serious repercussions for a berth in the semis, Shvedova used an effective two-handed backhand down the line to stave off the grunting Grand Slam winner and former number one.

Sharapova’s shoulder remains a concern. Her usually reliable first serve was missing today at Roland Garros. The Russian star double faulted 11 times. That statistic is cause for concern and not typical of Grand Slam semifinalists.

Maria found a way to compensate for her service woes. By controlling the tempo and the court noise, Maria set herself firmly in control of play. From the start of set two, Maria struck 26 outright winners. Additionally, her ability to move Yaroslava around the court took a toll on the Kazakh’s serve.

By the end of the match, Yaroslava’s first serve was clocked at a mere 90 mph. As the match began to slip away, Yaroslava seemed to become tentative. Maria broke to go up 5-4 in set three.

After faulting the first serve of the key 10th game, Sharapova took a moment to gather herself. Her focus became clear. Suddenly, this match was all about the leggy blonde and her ability to put contenders away. She promptly rattled off four winners and the match was finished.

Many of the big names are experiencing first set tremors. Venus never recovered from hers. Elena Dementieva won when Jelena Dokic retired. The competition only gets better from here. Round four winners can ill afford to come out flat. It would bee unlike Maria to make the same mistake twice. Today was another good mental exercise for a shining star the tour could use.

If you know tennis, you know Jelena Dokic. The tennis tour is filled with players who worked their way up through the ranks. The WTA is filled with women who put everything aside to hone their game. Some of these players rise to the top while others labor on backcourts or on satellite tours, awaiting their day in the sun.

Jelena Dokic was born to play tennis. She is graceful, athletic, well—muscled and deft. In 2002, she was at the top of her game. In 2006, she shocked the world and left the game. Just four years after attaining a number 4 ranking in singles in 2002 and a number 10 ranking in doubles, Jelena turned her back on the game she loved.

Jelena Dokic had demons. Most of those demons were caused by her Serbian father, trainer and manager, Damir Dokic, who was jailed for thirty days on May 7, 2009. It seems Damir Dokic has threatened the Australian Ambassador. Many people feel he is where he belongs.

Jelena left tennis and left her father for personal reasons, which have later been described as abusive treatment. Now a citizen of Australia, Jelena was welcomed back to the game she left by the crowds in Melbourne. She surprised the field by reaching the quarter-finals.

Since January, her play has been erratic. The pretty blonde has worked hard on finding her serve and increasing her velocity. At Roland Garros today, Jelena Dokic stood on the verge of her greatest upset since her return to the game.

After breezing (6-2) through the first set against fourth-seeded and heavy favorite Elena Dementieva, Jelena appeared to have the match in hand. The fans were at a feverish pitch, cheering, coaxing, encouraging the upset.

At 2-3, her lower-back pain began to show. Her movements lost their flow. Her ball toss was labored. The crowd shifted uncomfortably.

At 3-4, she could not play on. At 3-4, Jelean Dokic retied her match against the 4th best player in the world. The gloomy Paris sky was darker, the crowd stunned and Jelena Dokic was crestfallen.

Tennis players suffer those public moments of pain and disappointment. Tennis players, cry, scream, become hostile, become emersed in the heat of the battle. Jelena’s public moment seemed more. And, the crowd knew it. The crowd wanted her to finish, to win her match of matches. It is impossible to root against Jelena Dokic.

Jelena is courageous. Another day, another time she will get her win and rise from the depths of her 74 ranking. Jelena is too talented, too courageous to be mired in the back of the pack. Jelena Dokic is a winner.

If she loses a match here or there, we will not complain. You see, Jelena has won over our hearts. We stand with her. There is a bit of us in her story. Play another day Jelena. Grace us!

Venus Holds On

The big seeds have survived Round 2. Fourth seeded, Elena Dementieva was in the fight of her life when Australian Jelena Dokic was forced to tearfully retire with a strained lower back muscle.

Third-seeded Venus Williams looks great. She’s appears as fit as ever and covers the court with ease. The problem for Venus is that the new youngsters see the oft-time Grand Slam Champion as fair game. In Round Two, svelte Czech Lucie Safarova took dead aim at Williams and gave her a three set match to remember. Venus rallied after losing the first-set tiebreaker, overcame a third-set match point and held on in the third for a tight 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-5 triumph.

The performance of the day belongs to Jelena Jankovic, who stormed out of the gate and past Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova 6-1, 6-2 in a quick one-hour tune-up for Round 3. As usual, Jankovic does not lose to players she should beat. Jelena appears strong and without distraction. Next up is another Australian, Jarmila Groth, who powered her way past Mariana Duque Marino, 6-2, 7-6 (9).

As she did in Australia, Serena Williams silenced her critics and let it be known the game is on. Serena brought her big game out and cruised by Spain’s Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-2, 6-0.

In a tournament where the unexpected is expected, the fireworks should soon begin on the women’s side. Upsets are looming and Venus’ quarter is loaded with underdog potential.