Maria Sharapova upbeat despite falling to a worrying 15-year first

LIFE is only getting tougher for Maria Sharapova since returning from a drugs suspension as she faces a brutal reality check.

Things aren’t going to plan for Maria Sharapova.

MARIA Sharapova’s claycourt season got off to a poor start as she lost in three sets to Caroline Garcia in the first round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

France’s Garcia staged a strong fightback to prevail 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 in two hours and 44 minutes on Tuesday for her first victory over the former world No. 1 in her fifth attempt.

“It was a very close match. I know she is a fighter and it would be difficult until the end,” sixth seed Garcia, who saved two match points in the second set, said.

Sharapova, who came back from a 15-month doping ban at this tournament last April, won the first set with ease but the 31-year-old could not prevent a determined Garcia from dragging herself back into the contest through a tiebreak.

A 10th double fault by Sharapova at 4-4 handed Garcia the crucial break in the decider and the world number seven clinched the contest on her serve in the next game.

“I was a little more aggressive today and I returned a bit better. Finally I can say that after seven years I have beaten her ... it’s an important win,” Garcia added.

The loss was Sharapova’s fourth in a row and she will drop out of the top 50 ranked players in the world. The last time the Russian dropped four consecutive matches was back in 2003.

Stuttgart was the first time Sharapova has taken to the court since splitting with coach Sven Groeneveld after bouncing out of Indian Wells in March.

Sharapova hasn’t won a match since the Australian Open in January.

“I felt like my previous match at Indian Wells wasn’t a match that I needed to go and play because I wasn’t physically ready to pay that match,” Sharapova said. “But maybe that match helped me make some tough decisions that I ended up having to make.

“It’s always a tricky time for them, especially with a person that’s been by your side, that you’ve had such great success with, an incredible coach that has been a mentor to you, that you have a lot of respect for. It’s never easy. There’s no real way to go about it. But I think we both felt it was the right time for it.”

Sharapova has now linked up again with Swede Thomas Hogstedt, although the pair haven’t yet come to a formal arrangement.

“We’re taking it one week at a time. But I’m loving the work I’m putting in and as far as I’m concerned, that’s always the important step in the process,” Sharapova said.

“I know over there (on the court) is also extremely important, but so long as I’m putting myself out there and he’s bringing that work ethic every day as well, then I’m looking forward to good things with him.”

Sharapova said being back with her old coach has provided a much-needed boost, and is confident the results will come if she keeps working as hard as she is.

Sharapova is confident the tide will turn.

“With Thomas, obviously having the experience of having him by my side, being part of a winning team, and also being on the losing end of matches — he’s coached a lot against me since and I appreciate that feedback coming back into the team,” she said.

“I’ve had a great few weeks of training. That motivation when you get when you’re training, if someone can come into your team and bring that, I mean, respect.

“That’s what I really appreciate about his work. He has a great work ethic. And I’m all for that. I’m not shy of putting in the work. I expect that from myself because as the competition gets tougher, as the years go by, everyone’s putting in the work. It takes a lot more than that.

“From a health point of view, that’s improved a lot. So even though there are changes I believe they’re good changes even though they’re tough times to make changes.”

Up next for Garcia is Ukrainian teenager Marta Kostyuk who beat Antonia Lottner 6-4 6-1. The 15-year-old qualified for the main draw by overcoming France’s Alize Cornet on Monday.

“I can’t say I’m super surprised, because that’s what I work for, and I know I can play at this level,” Kostyuk said.

World No. 6 Karolina Pliskova also advanced with a 6-2 6-2 win over Kiki Bertens while Magdalena Rybarikova dumped out Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-2 6-2.

— with AAP