Sharapova proves sharp for O.C. Breakers

Maria Sharapova got her tennis done early on Monday night.

The former No. 1 played in the first two sets of the night for the Orange County Breakers, women’s doubles and women’s singles, before a sold-out crowd at Palisades Tennis Club in Newport Beach. After that, she sat on the bench and cheered on her teammates.

Sharapova won both of her sets, and said after the match that her play had improved from her first World Team Tennis match of the season, last week in San Diego.

The team as a whole played better too.

Orange County edged San Diego, 22-19, for its third home win in as many nights at Breakers Stadium.

Sharapova, 30, made a comeback from a 15-month doping suspension in April, but missed the grass-court season this summer due to a thigh injury.

She was a winner twice Monday night. In doubles, she teamed with Andreja Klepac to beat San Diego’s Shelby Rogers and Darija Jurak, 5-2. Sharapova then came right back to beat Rogers in women’s singles, 5-3, avenging a loss during the rivals’ first meeting of the season on July 16.

“I played much better than I did a week ago,” said Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion. “That was an improvement, and that was one of the main reasons I wanted to come out here and play. The court was very fast, with very quick rallies. I think a lot of it came down to serving and returning, and I think I did a really good job of that today.”

Sharapova played in her seventh season for the Breakers, but first since 2010. Her play impressed Breakers coach Rick Leach.

“Maria was really feeling the ball tonight,” Leach said. “She played really well. I think she’s going to be back in the top five in just a matter of time. She’s starting to play better. She hasn’t played for a while, so she’s got to remember how to play again, but today was a good step. I think she’s going to be ready to make her mark again.”

But the 10-5 lead didn’t last too long for the Breakers, who lost the next two sets. In men’s doubles, the Aviators’ Rajeev Ram and Raven Klaasen got past the Breakers’ Steve Johnson and Ken Skupski, 5-3. In mixed doubles, Klaasen and Jurak beat Skupski and Klepac, 5-4.

Orange County held a tenuous 17-15 lead going into the last set, men’s singles. Ram is more known as a doubles player, but he gave Johnson a good match.

Ram broke Johnson’s serve twice in the set. At one point, he led the set 4-2, and the match was tied at 19-19. But Johnson finished strong, winning the last three games, including the set tiebreaker, to end things.

“It was so exciting,” Leach said. “This is what Team Tennis is all about. Maria got us up 10-5, and Andreja was playing great in the women’s doubles. San Diego’s such a great team, so I knew they were going to keep fighting. Stevie’s such a champ. It was good to have Stevie out there [at the end]. He made it a little bit closer than I wanted it, but he’s a true champion.”

The Breakers have hit the road for a four-match road trip, which began Tuesday at San Diego. They don’t return home until July 31, a match that’s also against the Aviators.

Orange County, which played its home matches last year at Newport Beach Tennis Club, is now a combined 10-0 at home over the last two seasons.

“I think we’re comfortable here,” Leach said. “We like it in Newport Beach. You know, we’re going to have to win on the road to make the playoffs. We’ve got to figure that out, but I like our win streak now … It’s all good. We’re going in the right direction.”

As for Sharapova, she said she had fun playing again in Orange County. It’s not too far from her home in Manhattan Beach, and she also enjoys the format of World Team Tennis, she said in a pre-match press conference.

And, at 30, she is confident she can get back in the swing of things as a top-level player, even after so much time off. She is currently ranked No. 173.

Monday marked Sharapova’s second and final appearance for the Breakers this season.

“Take an example from Venus [Williams], what she was able to do at Wimbledon [making the final at age 37],” Sharapova said. “It’s an incredible example … that you can have a long career.”

Sharapova hopes that hers is pointed back in the right direction.

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Twitter: @mjszabo