Confidence growing for Sharapova at Aus Open

Omnisports

January 20, 2016 11:33 AM

Maria Sharapova feels she is growing in confidence at the Australian Open after cruising into the third round.

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The Russian fifth seed comfortably beat Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday.

Sharapova has dropped just seven games in her opening two matches in Melbourne despite heading into the year's first grand slam without a competitive match under her belt in 2016 due to a forearm injury.

The five-time grand slam champion said she was slowly putting the injury concern behind her.

"I feel pretty good. I felt I was more confident with my left hand today," Sharapova said.

"That's always something that especially when it's like in the hand/wrist area, it's in the back of your mind even though you're [not] feeling it.

"I felt really good and confident today about it."

Sharapova, who will face American Lauren Davis in the third round, said she was working on adding more drop-shots to her game.

The 28-year-old said it was not yet a major part of her approach, but that could change.

"It's not my A game, that's for sure. It's something that I want to add and I want to move forward, and I think it's just a few things that you try to improve," Sharapova said.

"Also something with a new coach that even though we worked for two years, little by little you work on things and they don't just show up in a week's time.

"It takes time to get comfortable and confident with the things you work on."

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