Maria Sharapova took on Karin Knapp in the baking heat at the 2014 Australian Open on Thursday with a place in the third round at stake.
Knapp, ranked 44th in the WTA rankings, had never progressed beyond round two of the Melbourne major.
Would that change or would third seed Sharapova continue her quest to win her fifth Grand Slam title? Find out below by revisiting the action with Sports Mole's blow-by-blow text updates.
Thanks for joining Sports Mole on day four of the 2014 Australian Open. Please note that the times of our updates represent GMT, which is 11 hours behind sunny Melbourne.
Our coverage kicks off with 2008 champion Maria Sharapova taking on Italy's Karin Knapp. Don't worry if that doesn't float your boat though, because when it finishes we will be sticking with Rod Laver Arena to bring you Christina McHale vs. Caroline Wozniacki, followed by Rafael Nadal vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis.
The main talking point in Melbourne this week has been the weather, with temperatures peaking at 42.2 degrees Celsius. Conditions in the Victorian capital are SLIGHTLY less severe than that this morning, but the thermometer still reads a more-than-toasty 37° C.
Sharapova battled with the heat for 99 minutes in round one before eventually prevailing 6-3 6-4 against Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
Knapp needed just 85 minutes to beat Paula Ormaechea 6-4 6-2 in her opening-round match. However, the world number 44 has also been in doubles action this week, teaming up with Jelena Jankovic to defeat Russian duo Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-4.
So, after sending two Russians packing with the help of Jankovic, can Knapp get rid of one more on her own? The bookies don’t think so… Bet Victor are offering a hefty 14-1 on Sharapova losing, while 1-19 (at 888sport and UNIBET) is the best price on a win for the third seed.
The pair have met just once before, with Sharapova recording a 7-6 6-0 victory in the last 32 of the 2008 French Open. My PREDICTION is that the five-time Grand Slam champion will again come through in straight sets today.
Rod Laver Arena is filling up quickly and both players are due on court any minute now...
The players walk onto court, both looking very serious and slightly sunburnt.
Sharapova, who is wearing a light teal dress, has won the toss and chosen to serve first. Knapp is dressed all in blue with a red baseball cap.
Sharapova finds a first serve to start, but she loses the opening point by slamming a backhand low into the net. She then makes amends with a brilliant crosscourt backhand winner, before two Knapp errors move the Russian 40-15 ahead.
Two unforced errors from the Sharapova forehand level the opening game at deuce, but the third seed stays composed to win the next two points and hold to 40.
The match's first ace and two missed returns help Knapp establish a 40-0 lead. Sharapova wins the next point, but loses the game by sending a powerful forehand into the net.
Three unreturnable serves see Sharapova establish a 40-15 lead, which she then throws away by producing back-to-back double faults. 40-40.
Knapp forces Sharapova wide and the Russian drives a tricky forehand into the net. BREAK POINT!
SAVED! The roles are reversed from the last point, as Sharapova works the angles to send Knapp into a tricky position and the Italian crashes a forehand into the net. 40-40.
KNAPP BREAKS! Sharapova's third double fault gives Knapp a second break point, which is converted when the third seed pushes a forehand just beyond the baseline.
SHARAPOVA BREAKS BACK! Losing that service game made Sharapova angry and she channels her anger into two massive forehand winners to move 0-30 ahead, before breaking to love.
The first point of game five goes to Knapp, who draws an error from Sharapova's forehand. However, the rest of the game is plain sailing for Maria, who holds to 15.
Knapp misses with the backhand. She then double-faults, before a terrific backhand winner from Sharapova brings up THREE BREAK POINTS!
SHARAPOVA BREAKS! Knapp reels off three straight points to level at deuce, but Sharapova quickly earns a fourth break point, which she converts with a huge forehand volley. Knapp complains to the umpire that the Russian screamed "come on" before the point was complete. No action is taken though.
Sharapova makes her 14th and 15th unforced errors of the match in game seven. Nevertheless, she manages to hold serve to 30, sealing the game with her first ace.
A six-shot rally is abruptly brought to an end by a brilliant backhand winner down the line to move Sharapova 0-15 ahead. An unnecessary forehand error then levels the game at 15-15.
Two more superb backhand winners move Sharapova 15-30 then 30-40 ahead. However, she FAILS TO CONVERT BREAK POINT as Knapp takes three points in a row and holds.
FIRST SET SHARAPOVA! After failing to covert a single set point in the last game, Sharapova races into a 40-0 lead, earning three more. An unforced forehand error sees another come and go, but the Russian holds to 15 and clinches the opening set by winning the following point thanks to Knapp's horrible forehand into the net.
That opening set lasted 43 minutes. 59 points were contested and Sharapova, who hit 14 winners and 18 unforced errors, won 34 of them. Knapp hit just two winners and 11 unforced errors. Both players serve an ace, while Sharapova also delivered three double faults - two more than her opponent.
Knapp claims an important hold in game one of set two. The Italian finds four first serves in six attempts. She wins all four points behind those first serves, losing the other two, as she holds to 30.
Sharapova responds in kind, holding to 30.
SHARAPOVA BREAKS! The second set is less than 15 minutes old, but the third seed already seems in total control. She breaks to 15, as Knapp contributes to her own downfall with two unforced errors and a game-ending double fault.
KNAPP BREAKS BACK! Perhaps Sharapova is not quite in total control! She wins a brilliant point with a stunning forehand winner to level the game at 30-30, but then wastes her good work with back-to-back unforced errors to hand Knapp parity in set two. Knapp deserves much credit for staying in the game's final point, which lasted 12 strokes.
Big hold for Knapp, who TWICE SAVES BREAK POINT at 40-ADV before holding serve with a cute volley at the net - her first point won at the net today.
RESULT: Kazakhstani qualifier Zarina Diyas is through to round three after beating New Zealand's Marina Erakovic 6-4 6-0 on Court 13.
Meanwhile, back at Rod Laver Arena, Sharapova holds to 15 to level the second set.
RESULT: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has seen off Mandy Minella in straight sets. The 29th seed won 6-2 6-2.
Another hold from Knapp - this time to 30.
WEATHER UPDATE! The temperature is up to a sweltering 41°C and Varvara Lepchenko, who is leading Simona Halep 6-4 0-5 over on Court 8, is currently receiving treatment from the trainer. According to reports, the Uzbek-American player is having her blood pressure taken.
The Russian holds to 15.
Knapp forces Sharapova to serve to stay in the set by holding to 15.
THREE SET POINTS FOR KNAPP! The Italian draws a forehand error out of Sharapova, who then double-faults before producing an awful backhand error. This was not in the script!
SECOND SET KNAPP! Another unforced error from the Sharapova backhand gives her opponent a break to love. This match is now all square!
There will be a 10-minute break before the final set begins because Knapp has taken advantage of the Heat Rule and returned to her dressing room. Sharapova has also gone inside.
Over on Court 10, Lepchenko, who had been receiving treatment, seemingly for heatstroke, has decided to continue her match with Halep. However, she has lost the second set 6-0. Just like here on Laver, there will be a 10-minute break before the decider gets underway.
Here are the stats from the second set between Knapp and Sharapova.
Total points won
Knapp: 31
Sharapova: 27
Winners
Knapp: 8
Sharapova: 5
Unforced errors
Knapp: 11
Sharapova: 16
Net points
Knapp: 2/2
Sharapova: 1/1
Aces
Knapp: 2
Sharapova: 0
Double faults
Knapp: 1
Sharapova: 1
Receiving points won
Knapp: 12/26 (46%)
Sharapova: 13/32 (41%)
The players are back and Knapp is about to serve to get this deciding set underway....
SHARAPOVA BREAKS! Serving with the sun in her eyes, Knapp falters as Sharapova breaks to 40.
KNAPP BREAKS BACK! For the second time in this match, Knapp responds to being broken by breaking right back! This time, it's Sharapova who struggles at the sunny end. Knapp takes the game to 15, after her opponent gifts her a double fault and two unforced backhand errors.
SHARAPOVA BREAKS! We have a third consecutive break as Sharapova wins game three to 15. Significantly though, unlike the server in the previous two games, Knapp was serving from the less-sun-affected northern end on this occasion. Massive moment for Maria, who should close out comfortably from here.
The former world number one consolidates her break by emphatically holding to love.
There's an angry look on the face of Sharapova after she FAILS TO CONVERT BREAK POINT, allowing Knapp to hold.
RESULT: Despite severe struggles with the heat, Lepchenko has managed to see her match against Halep through to a natural conclusion. However, the Uzbek-American player has lost convincingly, going down 4-6 6-0 6-1.
KNAPP BREAKS BACK! Still fuming from her missed opportunity in the previous game, Sharapova capitulates on serve, handing Knapp a match-levelling break to 15 with her sixth double fault of the match.
RESULT: Japanese number one Kei Nishikori is safely into round three. He completed a straight-sets win over Dusan Lajovic about 10 minutes ago. Click here for our match report.
Back on Laver, Sharapova has TWO BREAK POINTS!
TWO BREAK POINTS SAVED! Knapp saves the first with a fearless forehand winner. Sharapova then comes up with another unforced error on her backhand. 40-40.
SHARAPOVA BREAKS! The 2008 champion spurns two more break points with unforced errors before Knapp's sixth double fault of the match presents the Russian with a fifth opportunity to break in game seven. This time, she converts, testing her opponent with a stinging forehand drive, which Knapp's backhand can only deflect into the net.
A time violation is called against Sharapova, who receives a first warning. The Russian then wins a thrilling point. She hits a powerful crosscourt forehand that catches the net and lands just inside the sideline. Knapp manages to get the ball back, but Sharapova races to the net to volley home an aggressive winner. Some players may have apologised for that net cord, but Sharapova screams in delight. 40-15.
Sharapova holds to 15. Knapp must now serve - from the sunny end - to stay in the Australian Open.
Aided by three unforced errors from her opponent, Knapp holds to 30. Sharapova must now serve from the sunny end. Can she finally close out? Let's find out...
15-0: Backhand unforced error from Knapp.
15-15: Knapp levels the game with a forehand smash winner.
30-15: Another backhand unforced error from Knapp.
40-15: TWO MATCH POINTS FOR SHARAPOVA!
40-30: Knapp cracks a lovely backhand winner to save the first match point.
40-40: The second is saved too, as Sharapova's forehand is off target!
Advantage Sharapova: The Russian hits her second ace of the match to bring up a THIRD MATCH POINT!
40-40: Sharapova backhand unforced error.
Advantage Knapp: Sharapova double-faults for the seventh time today.
40-40: Knapp forehand unforced error.
Advantage Knapp: Sharapova double-faults for the eighth time in this match!
KNAPP BREAKS BACK! The Italian hits a backhand winner and, after Sharapova fails to convert three match points, we are all level again. Incredible.
BREAKING NEWS: Tournament organisers have implemented the Extreme Heat Rule, meaning that the Rod Laver Arena roof will be closed once this match is completed. It also means that play will be suspended on all courts without roofs once the current sets are complete.
Knapp holds to 30. Sharapova must now serve to stay in the match!
The Russian keeps her nerve - for once! She holds to 30 and this energy-sapping contest continues. Remember, there are no tie-breaks at the Australian Open, so this one could last a while yet!
Knapp holds to 30 from the sunny end!
HEAT SUSPENSION UPDATE: Once the current sets are complete, there will be no play on outside courts until 5am UK time (4pm in Melbourne).
Sharapova looks under real pressure at 15-15, but three consecutive errors from Knapp's forehand hand the Russian a priceless hold to 15.
A forehand winner gives Sharapova the opening point in game 14. She then draws an error from Knapp's backhand to make it 0-30.
Knapp continues to play with real aggression and is duly rewarded as she comes out on top in two powerful forehand exchanges with Sharapova, who then donates a couple of backhand errors, which are gratefully received. In other words, Knapp wins four consecutive points and holds to 30!
Knapp gets excited as she reaches 30-30 on Sharapova's serve, leaving her just two points from a sensational victory. However, the third seed gets her first serve firing just in time and holds to 30.
Knapp produces an unforced backhand error and a double fault, sandwiched either side of a forehand winner from her opponent. The result is THREE BREAKS POINTS FOR SHARAPOVA!.
SHARAPOVA BREAKS! Knapp fights back to 30-40, but Sharapova seals her seventh break of the match by tempting the Italian into a risky backhand, which plunders into the net. For the second time today, the Russian will serve for the match.
15-0: Backhand unforced error from Knapp.
15-15: Sharapova double-faults.
15-30: Sharapova double-faults again! Her 11th of the match.
30-30: Knapp shanks a tired crosscourt backhand wide and long.
30-40: Sharapova delivers her 12th double fault of the match - her third of the game!
40-40: Incredible backhand winner from Sharapova that just catches the outside of the line.
FIFTH MATCH POINT FOR SHARAPOVA!
SHARAPOVA WINS 6-3 4-6 10-8!
Sharapova finally outlasts her opponent, who produces back-to-back errors to end this extraordinary match after 207 minutes.
Alize Cornet, who beat Camila Giorgi 6-3 4-6 6-4, will be Sharapova's opponent in round three.
Final match stats.
Total points won
Knapp: 112
Sharapova: 124
Winners
Knapp: 20
Sharapova: 34
Unforced errors
Knapp: 55
Sharapova: 67
Net points
Knapp: 6/7
Sharapova: 6/6
Aces
Knapp: 3
Sharapova: 2
Double faults
Knapp: 9
Sharapova: 12
Receiving points won
Knapp: 49/116 (42%)
Sharapova: 57/120 (48%)
Live coverage of this match has now ended, but you can click here to follow the next match at Rod Laver Arena - Christina McHale vs. Caroline Wozniacki.
Written by
Robert Summerscales
Robert Summerscales
