Still shaking off the rust from a 15-month doping ban and a string of nagging injuries, the 30-year-old Sharapova needed all her skill, determination and two hours and 44 minutes to snatch victory in front of a packed Arthur Ashe stadium.
Twice winner Maria Sharapova and reigning champion Flavia Pennetta advanced to the third round of the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday, though in sharply contrasting fashion.
Maria Sharapova fought her way into the semi-finals of the LA Championships on Friday with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Polish teenager Urszula Radwanska. Sharapova will face Flavia Pennetta in the last four after the Italian stunned second seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia 6-4, 6-2.
Former World No 1 Maria Sharapova is expected to face a disciplinary hearing over a drug violation in June.
Maria Sharapova has admitted that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open this year. The Russian star has confessed that she tested positive for Mildronate/Meldonium, a medicine she has been taking for 10 years owing to health issues, and the same is included in the fresh list of banned substances.
"We experienced wonderful moments together. I wish her much happiness and success in life and in tennis.
Maria Sharapova shook off the rust to beat Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 in the first round of the Stanford Classic on Monday. Fellow Russian Elena Dementieva joined her in the second round after beating Britain's Anne Keothavong 6-1, 6-4.
Maria Sharapova's Grand Slam comeback ended in the French Open quarter-finals on Tuesday after she was demolished 6-0, 6-2 by Slovak Dominika Cibulkova.
Maria Sharapova came back from a break down in the decider to book her place in the third round of the French Open with a 6-2, 1-6, 8-6 victory over fellow Russian and 11th seed Nadia Petrova on Wednesday.
Defending champion Maria Sharapova will take on Li Na of China in the Italian Open final after a confident 6-3, 6-4 victory over Germany's Angelique Kerber in Rome on Saturday.
The Russian beat France's Tatiana Golovin in the the grass-court DFS Classic tournament in Edgbaston.
'If she wants to talk about something personal, maybe she should talk about her relationship and her boyfriend that was married and is getting a divorce and has kids,' said Maria Sharapova firing the first volley at Wimbledon title rival Serena Williams, taking aim at the American's personal life.
The verdict in Maria Sharapova's appeal against a two-year doping ban will be announced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday.
Russian former world number one Maria Sharapova was suspended for two years by the International Tennis Federation on Wednesday following her positive test for banned drug meldonium at this year's Australian Open.
Reigning champion Serena Williams ramped up the power in the second set to vanquish fifth seed Maria Sharapova for the 18th match in a row and reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open with a 6-4, 6-1 victory.
Russia's Maria Sharapova beat World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-4 in the Stuttgart clay court final on Sunday to claim her first WTA tour title of the year and end a two-match losing streak against the Belarussian.
Tennis sensation Maria Sharapova yet again rules the Forbes' list of highest-paid female athletes.
Serena Williams, the top-ranked player in women's tennis, said on Tuesday she was shocked to hear her friend and fellow tennis star Maria Sharapova had failed a drug test, but she commended Sharapova for showing courage in taking responsibility.
Maria Sharapova became the latest big-name casualty at Wimbledon when she was humbled 6-2, 6-4 in the second round by fellow-Russian Alla Kudryavtseva. The 2004 champion never got going against her 20-year-old opponent and produced a performance littered with costly errors at crucial moments.
Tennis star Maria Sharapova again tops the list of highest earning female athletes over the past year, according to Forbes.
'The situation with Sharapova could be resolved after April 21 when we meet with the head of the international federation. After that all should be become clear. It is too early to talk about Sharapova competing at the Olympic Games'
The Russian may fancy her medal chances at the All England Club, where she stunned Serena Williams to win Wimbledon as a 17-year-old, provided her injury-prone body stays trouble-free.
Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev expects Maria Sharapova to represent her country at this year's Olympics in Brazil despite being provisionally suspended from the game after testing positive for a banned substance.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday reduced by nine months former world number one tennis player Maria Sharapova's two-year doping ban.
Garbine Muguruza roared into the French Open semi-finals with a 6-2, 6-1 demolition job of Maria Sharapova on Wednesday.
Former champion Maria Sharapova maintained her perfect start to the season to join fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semi-finals of the Pacific Life Open on Wednesday. Sharapova, the Australian Open champion and fourth seed, stormed back from 5-2 down in the first set to beat holder Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 7-6, 6-1.
'The suspicion of doping will hang over numerous men and women players including the elite stars,' says Desh Gaurav Chopra Sekhri.
The duo appear to have shaken off their respective ailments and return this week for the Pacific Life Open where they both triumphed in 2006.
Maria Sharapova's pain at losing a 14th straight match to nemesis Serena Williams will be eased by the thought that she can compete at the highest level again after being sidelined for four months with a shoulder injury.
Maria Sharapova will face Serena Williams in the final of the Sony Open while Britain's Andy Murray will take on France's Richard Gasquet in the men's semi-finals after grinding down Croatian Marin Cilic.
Maria Sharapova blocked out a 28-minute horror show to beat Jelena Jankovic and Victoria Azarenka eased past Maria Kirilenko to set up a heavyweight French Open semi-final in Paris on Wednesday.
The Russian claimed her second title of the year when she defeated unseeded Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 in an all-Russian final in Doha.
Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova has reportedly decided to end her relationship with new coach Jimmy Connors, after losing to American Sloane Stephens in the second round of the Western & Southern Open at Cincinnati.
Former winner Maria Sharapova, her Russian compatriot Anna Chakvetadze and Serb Ana Ivanovic joined world number one Justine Henin in the semi-finals of the WTA Championships on Thursday.
Spanish tennis maestro Rafael Nadal has defended his training methods and outrightly rejected to have used any banned substance in order to speed up his recovery from injury.
Maria Sharapova became a goodwill ambassador for the UN Development Fund and donated $100,000 to the Chernobyl victims.
Maria Sharapova continues the defence of her U.S. Open title with a second round match against Australian Casey Dellacqua on Thursday.
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