Sharapova Gets a Cat's Revenge, Dethrones Aussie Open Champ Wozniacki

Once upon a time, a svelte blonde with a few singles titles and tons of endorsements wound up as the target in a doping scandal.

The fact that she was Russian -- accomplished PED specialists that they are -- didn't help the look at all.

Worse, Maria Sharapova's rep as as ice queen had never won her any friends on the WTA circuit, either, a fact that was laid bare when she returned from her 15-month suspension.

 

One of the first outta the gates of criticism was Denmark's Caronline Wozniacki, especially when Sharapova got top billing at the 2017 US Open.

Wozniacki probably figured she had cover after the French Open spiked Sharapova's attempt to enter the field and Genie Bouchard didn't disguise her feelings about it.

 

Two years later, they finally got paired together on the court.

During that span, Sharapova continued her search for tennis consistency while Wozniacki was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

But as elite athletes know, if you're playin', just sayin' ...

 

In other words, no excuses.

Sharapova was on a mission in this one, and after Wozniacki -- last year's titlist here -- had built up a 4-1 lead in the first set, it showed.

The Florida-based Russian turned the match around to post a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory:

 

Afterwards, Sharapova didn't need to say anything to rub it in. Everyone knew.

And Wozniacki was merely terse, letting what was unsaid between her lines do the real talking.

 

Now that she's won a big match, the trick now for Sharapova is to win an alleged little one.

Her next-round opponent is local favorite and 15-seed Ashleigh Barty, which will basically cast her in the unloved underdog's role once again. She came into the 2019 Australian Open seeded No 30.

It's gonna take more than a personal-vendetta cage match to show she's back to being a Slam contender.