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 Sharapova, 31, was making her first appearance here in three years having served a doping ban and then withdrawn from qualifying through injury 12 months ago.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.
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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.
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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