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.
Twelve months after competing in Paris as the world number one, Sharapova turned up ranked 102nd as she is on a comeback trail following a nine-month layoff with a career-threatening shoulder injury.
Sharapova, who will next take on Kazakh Yaroslava Shvedova, left Court Suzanne Lenglen blowing kisses to the crowd after winning on her first match point at the end of a two-hour 12-minute catfight.
The three-times Grand Slam champion was 4-2 down in the third set but managed to break back, finding outrageous angles to see off Petrova, twice a semi-finalist at Roland Garros.
Ivanovic breezes past Tanasugarn
Holder Ana Ivanovic turned in a polished performance to overcome Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1, 6-2 and also reach the third round.
The eighth-seeded Serb, whose first-round match lasted more than two hours, showed more urgency against her 32-year-old opponent, serving out the first set to love after Tamarine hit her forehand return into the net.
Ivanovic broke early in the second before allowing the Thai a glimmer of hope with her own break but the Serb soon put her back in her place, wrapping up victory on her second match point with a sizzling forehand that Tamarine swiped wildly.
Ivanovic, who beat world number one Dinara Safina in Paris last year for her maiden Grand Slam title, will face either Czech Iveta Benesova or Russia's Alla Kudryavtseva in the next round.
