Sharapova flies on without her wings

Parity in pay for women players here now; but still the focus of the photographers is on the apparel of the distaff side of the draw. Maria Sharapova knows it will never be any other way. As utterly predictable as yesterday's near wash-out was the spectacle of a myriad lenses trained once more on the Florida-based Siberian's outfit.

At the end of a week in which too much talk has been of knickers - Tatiana Golovin's red ones and those that British tennis is currently getting in a twist - it is pleasing to report that Sharapova's underwear was as concealed as the All England Club's unique sense of decorum would wish yesterday as the Russian progressed efficiently rather than spectacularly.

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Apparently the creation designed for the world's best-paid female athlete is inspired by Swan Lake. That may well be so. To this observer, those pleats at her rear bring more to mind an angel which has had its wings torn off.

Certainly, her fate yesterday was orchestrated beautifully by the heavens. At 2.57pm the gods relented sufficiently to allow her third-round game against the Japanese Ai Sugiyama to proceed on Court One.

By the time, 74 minutes later, that drizzle again began to fall, the inclement weather setting in for the remainder of the afternoon, she had neatly completed a 6-3 6-3 victory over the 31-year-old 26th seed from Tokyo. Talk about a perfect window of opportunity.

Indeed the Japanese believed the match should have been halted, claiming that it was too slippery to carry on. A relieved Sharapova was happy that her opponent's request was denied. "It's always good to finish, you know, especially when you're up a set, it's close to being done, and it starts drizzling."

Indeed, the contest would have finished earlier had a linesman not called a Sharapova serve out with the Russian on two match-points, only for the umpire to overrule it and ask for the point to be replayed. "The match could have been over," said Sharapova afterwards.

"It's just a weird situation, because you know the rain is coming. It's the third call that the guy got wrong. You look at him and he's wearing sun- glasses. He loses all credibility at that point."

The portents were auspicious for the former champion. Her opponent may be remarkably familiar with this haven of London, but the best Sugiyama had managed in 14 previous visits here had been the last eight on one occasion. Though she displayed early resilience and frustrated the desire of the No 2 seed to finish the match swiftly, the Russian finally broke her; Sharapova's inventory of shots in that fifth game including an exquisitely placed lob which drew rapturous applause.

What particularly pleased her was the venom and effectiveness of her first serve, which demonstrated that she had recovered from her shoulder injury, although Sharapova admitted that she still required considerable and varied treatment between matches, in the form of ice, massage, and needle work (acupuncture) for two hours a day. It has done the trick. Yesterday, she only required nine second attempts.

"It worked very well today. My average speed was higher than it's been in the last few months, which is great. It's definitely something that will help me go on from here."

Court One was far from fully occupied as the clouds overhead glowered and threatened with intent. A year ago, Britain basked in a temperature of 29C. Yesterday was one for anorak- and scarf-clad couples to clasp each other for warmth and to cast anxious eyes at the skies. Shazza, of course, had her usual supporters, though clearly one person at least had more domestic matters on his mind. "Come on, Tim," he bellowed, to great mirth.

Sharapova had required three sets to beat her opponent in each of their two previous meetings, the first of which was during her 2004 title year. Here she always appeared in control, despite dropping her serve in the opening game of the second set. Just for a time, her vocal output increased, as it always does when she comes under pressure. But by the sixth game she had levelled, and then even her opponent knew it was only a matter of time. If the weather would permit it.

At the end, ever the consummate performer, Sharapova blew kisses to all sections and did a kind of curtsey, reminiscent of a ballet dancer, then hurried off to ponder the prospect of a fourth-round confrontation with either the former champion Venus Williams or another Japanese opponent, Akiko Morigami. And the rain began to fall again. Which, of course, you just knew it would.

Further reading about the Queen of fashion sonyericssonwtatour.com