French Open: Who Will Advance on Day 11, Maria Sharapova or Andrea Petkovic?

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Perhaps one of the most intriguing matches of Day 11 at the 2011 French Open is between Russian Maria Sharapova, seeded No. 7 and the number 15 seed, German Andrea Petkovic.

Maria Sharapova has won slams at every venue except the French Open in Paris. She came into the tournament with some degree of positive speculation about her chances of winning at Stade Roland Garros because just prior to the start of the French Open, the Russian captured the title in Rome on clay.

Clay has always been acknowledged as Sharapova’s worst surface. Even the Russian has described her movements on the clay as those resembling “a cow on ice.”

Sharapova’s appearance on Wednesday marks her first time in a slam quarterfinal in two years. Accomplishing that at the French Open is a sign of how much the Russian has improved since her shoulder surgery and subsequent comeback.

Sharapova is back in contention.

She will face one of the up and coming stars of the WTA, Andrea Petkovic, who also made the quarterfinals of the Australian Open earlier this year. The German has shot up the rankings and is now poised to take her place with the other women at the top of the women’s game.

Petkovic reached the quarterfinals by defeating Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Sharapova had to get past the No. 12 seed Agnieszka Radwanska 7-6, 7-5. Neither match was a gimme for either lady.

Sharapova with a win tomorrow and a French Open championship would win her career grand slam. For the German Petkovic, a win tomorrow and the French Open championship would see the German launched into the top 10.

Both ladies will be working hard for a win on Wednesday....

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