Maria Sharapova hasn’t been to the quarterfinal of the Wimbledon Championships since 2011. She’ll get a great chance to do so this time around, taking on young hotshot Zarina Diyas in the fourth round. Can Sharapova blast on to the business end of Wimbledon? Or will Diyas pull off another upset? Read on as we break down the Grand Slam action about to take place.
The Men’s Singles Draw is going full speed ahead in the fourth round at Wimbledon. Check out the complete preview for Roger Federer and Roberto Bautista Agut. And if you’re up for more big-time Women’s Singles matchups, then head over to our breakdown of the Serena Williams vs. Venus Williams match.
Maria Sharapova is a steamroller at this year’s Wimbledon championships. She has yet to drop a set in her first three matches, and has won 78 percent of her first serve points, has five aces and 57 winners in her first three matches.
[sc:Other240banner ]Sharapova has also been excellent on the return, winning 53 percent of receiving points at the tournament thus far. The Russian was spectacular in dispatching Zarina Diyas in their first career matchup at the 2015 Australian Open. She won 78 percent of her first serve points and 60 percent of return points in a 6-1, 6-1 victory.
Sharapova will be better off forcing Diyas to move all over the court in this match to set up her powerful forehand. 37 of her 57 winners at the tournament have been through her forehand. The faster bounce on grass should also help Sharapova utilize her power in this match.
But Sharapova hasn’t been at her best on grass in the past few years. She hasn’t reached the quarterfinals in seven of her last eight Wimbledon appearances. Sharapova has also struggled lately in majors tournaments, losing in the fourth round of four of her last six Grand Slam appearances.
It’s been an impressive tournament thus far for Zarina Diyas. She’s coming off an upset of 14th-seed Andrea Petkovic in straight sets (7-5, 6-4) in just under two hours in the third round of the Wimbledon Championships. Diyas has dropped just one set in her first three matches of the tournament.
Diyas has some power that could give Sharapova problems. She fired 10 aces through her first three matches, but is winning just 66 percent of her first serve points. She’ll need to sharpen up her game if she has to get past Sharapova’s strong return game at this tournament.
Diyas has also made plenty of unforced errors (67) through her first three matches. She may do worse in the biggest match of her young professional career if nerves come into play. But she can have success on the return, as she has won 44 percent of receiving points at the tournament thus far.
If Diyas can stay sharp on the return, then she could have some success against Sharapova’s second serve. Sharapova is making just 46 percent of her second serve points at the tournament and has made the most double faults among the remaining Women’s Singles players in the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Diyas has won six of her last nine matches on grass.
Writer’s Prediction
Sharapova (-1,400) trounces Diyas in straight sets.
