TENNIS in DEPTH.

Sharapova’s tennis is not yet back to her lofty standards, as one might expect after shoulder surgery in October and four singles matches in the past 10 months. The 64th-ranked Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus is not the sort of opponent who would normally trouble a top-of-her-game Sharapova, yet there was trouble Monday.

Still, a win is a win, and Sharapova’s first match at a major tournament in nearly a year ended with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Yakimova and a spot in the French Open’s second round. It will take more than that performance for Sharapova to erase the uncertainty that comes with such a long layoff.

“This is the first time in my career where I can really say I don’t have any expectations,” the three-time major champion said. “I don’t know how things are going to work out. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, how my shoulder is going to feel.” She will face fellow Russian Nadia Petrova in her next match. Petrova is just outside the top ten, and will probably be more of a test for Maria than she is ready for, especially on clay. Just a week ago in Warsaw she was beaten quite easily by Alona Bondarenko who is ranked outside of the top thirty.

Because of her time away, Sharapova is ranked 102nd and unseeded at Roland Garros, which might help lower others’ expectations, too. A year ago, after all, she was No. 1.

“If I was a mentally weak person or individual,” Sharapova said, “I think I wouldn’t be here today.”

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