Maria Sharapova will drop out of the world’s top 50 after suffering a fourth defeat in succession.
The five-times grand slam winner lost in three sets to Caroline Garcia in the first round of the Stuttgart Open and has now not won since the second round of the Australian Open.
Garcia staged a strong fightback to prevail 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4 in two hours 44 minutes for her first victory over the former world No 1 at her fifth attempt. “It was a very close match. I know she is a fighter and it would be difficult until the end,” the French sixth seed, who saved two match points in the second set, said.
Sharapova, who came back from a 15-month doping ban at this tournament last April, won the first set with ease but the 31-year-old could not prevent a determined Garcia from dragging herself back into the contest through a tiebreak.
A 10th double fault by Sharapova at 4-4 gave Garcia the crucial break in the decider and the world No 7 clinched the contest on her serve in the next game. “I was a little more aggressive today and I returned a bit better. Finally I can say that after seven years I have beaten her. It’s an important win,” Garcia added.
Up next for Garcia is the Ukrainian teenager Marta Kostyuk who beat Antonia Lottner 6-4, 6-1. The 15-year-old qualified for the main draw by overcoming France’s Alizé Cornet on Monday. “I can’t say I’m super-surprised, because that’s what I work for, and I know I can play at this level,” Kostyuk said.
