Paris: Maria Sharapova hopes her early defeat in Rome can be a blessing in disguise as she prepares to begin her French Open campaign.


Maria Sharapova 

The Russian's clay-court game has undergone a transformation in recent years with the red stuff now witnessing some of Sharapova's best results. Sharapova began her clay-court campaign with titles in Stuttgart and Madrid this year but then fell to Ana Ivanovic in the third round in Rome.