The 2004 champion was, at a set and 5-2 up, serving for the match and looking set for a smooth passage into Round Two
Maria Sharapova during her Round One match on Tuesday
Maria Sharapova's Wimbledon return ended in a defeat inflicted from the brink of victory as she crashed out against fellow Russian Vitalia Diatchenko. Sharapova, 31, was making her first appearance here in three years having served a doping ban and then withdrawn from qualifying through injury 12 months ago. The 2004 champion was, at a set and 5-2 up, serving for the match and looking set for a smooth passage into Round Two.
But a tense Sharapova allowed Diatchenko to break back, and the World No. 132 took the ensuing tie-break before prevailing in the third to win 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4. "I think it's normal to feel moments of tension, that's part of the game," said Sharapova. That's just human.
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No matter how many times you've done it, no matter what court you're playing on. Of course you feel it. But I love that feeling. That's one of the reasons I play. Maybe I wasn't smart enough, I didn't play the right way in the crucial moments," she added.
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