Sharapova digs deep to advance

Maria Sharapova [ Images ] came back from a break down in the decider to book her place in the third round of the French Open [ Images ] with a 6-2, 1-6, 8-6 victory over fellow Russian and 11th seed Nadia Petrova [ Images ] 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 [ Images ] 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 [ Images ].

Ivanovic breezes past Tanasugarn

Holder Ana Ivanovic [ Images ] turned in a polished performance to overcome Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn [ Images ] 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 [ Images ] in Paris last year for her maiden Grand Slam title, will face either Czech Iveta Benesova [ Images ] or Russia's [ Images ] Alla Kudryavtseva in the next round.