Too close for comfort: Sharapova escapes

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Top-seeded Maria Sharapova narrowly avoided a stunning third-set collapse, overcoming the soaring heat, stomach cramps and a slew of mistakes to beat Camille Pin 6-3, 4-6, 9-7 on Tuesday in the first round of the Australian Open.

The heat -- 97 degrees and muggy midday -- forced tournament officials to suspend play on the outside courts for at least four hours. The courtside temperature in Rod Laver Arena rocketed well over 100, prompting officials to close the roof after the Sharapova match.

Third-seeded Kim Clijsters took advantage of the closed arena, allowing Vasilisa Bardina only two points on her own serve in a 6-0, 6-0 rout. Sixth-seeded Martina Hingis, a three-time champion here, was almost as ruthless in her 6-0, 6-2 win over 2005 semifinalist Nathalie Dechy on the second showcourt.

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Maria Sharapova had too much for Camille Pin even though she didn't feel well.

Sharapova, her screeching intensifying as the temperature and the pressure increased, won five straight games to open the third set and appeared ready to finish off her opponent quickly. Then she hit a wall.

"I was so delusional I couldn't think," she said. "It was hard to think about what you were going to do on court because you were just mentally trying to find a way to kind of make the points shorter and basically trying to find a way to win.

"It's inhumanly possible to play three hours in that kind of heat. I don't think our bodies were made to do that."

As Pin ran off five straight games -- fending off match points in the eighth game -- to tie it up, Sharapova's shoulders drooped with each error.

She held for 6-5, but appeared ready to be sick at any moment. Sharapova called for the trainer as Pin headed back onto the court, stretching in the shade to stay loose.

Sharapova was barely moving between points, conserving energy. She squandered her third match point as Pin served in the next game.

Then Sharapova was broken again, allowing Pin to serve for the match.

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Sharapova got back on serve when Pin double-faulted on break point to make it 7-7, then won the next eight points to end the match.

Did she ever think of retiring?

"No. Definitely not. I'm not a quitter," she said. "I'm not just going to stop because of the heat."

Sharapova has not lost in the first round at a major since her first two Grand Slam tournaments in 2003. She has reached the quarterfinals in nine of the last 11 Slams, including her U.S. Open win in September.

Her escape Tuesday meant Virginia Ruzici remains the only top-seeded woman to lose in the first round of the Australian championship in the Open era, falling to Australian Mary Sawyer in 1979.

Sharapova, who had trouble with her serve and was broken six times in a blur of 65 unforced errors, said she felt pain in her lower stomach late in the match. Highly irritated, she also yelled an obscenity at chair umpire John Blom after he ordered a point replayed because a second ball dropped on the court behind Pin.

"I started in the second set getting a pinch, I'm not sure if it was cramps," Sharapova said. "I finally decided to call the trainer. I didn't know if it was serious."

She saw a doctor after the match and confirmed it was nothing more than cramping.

When an announcement followed the match that due to the Extreme Heat Policy, the roof would be closed at Rod Laver Arena, Sharapova raised her hands over her head and clapped. She gave the announcer the thumbs up.

Pin, a Frenchwoman who has only reached the second round twice in 15 majors, unsettled Sharapova with her composure and by relentlessly keeping the ball in play.

"I was so close that I thought it was my day, but apparently it was not, so next time," she said.

Clijsters, the world No. 5, rushed through the first set in only 18 minutes and kept up her momentum to whitewash her bewildered 19-year-old opponent.

The 23-year-old Clijsters, playing her last Australian Open, reached the final in 2004.

Other winners on the women's side included 12th-seeded Anna Chakvetadze, No. 13 Ana Ivanovic, No. 24 Samantha Stosur, No. 29 Alona Bondarenko and No. 30 Tathiana Garbin. No. 32 Eleni Danilidou was ousted by Japan's Aiko Nakamura.

Information from The Associated Press and Reuters was used in this report.