<< Maria Sharapova during her match against Laura Robson at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Tennis Club.
Maria Sharapova insisted on Friday that she loves the intense atmosphere of Wimbledon's Court Two, the arena which prompted Serena Williams to spark a sexism storm.
Williams, the defending champion, launched a scathing attack on All England Club officials on Thursday when she was exiled to Court Two to play her second round match.
The four-time winner insisted that the top male players Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic would always feature at the showpiece Centre Court and Court One.
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki, who played her third round match in the same 4,000-seater sunken bowl on Friday, also said she deserves to be scheduled on the two main courts.
But Sharapova enjoys getting out to Court Two, one of the furthest courts from the players' enclosure.
"I have no problem with playing on Court Two or Three. I think they're pretty big courts. I actually played on Court Two in my first round, I believe, last year. It gave me that vibe," said the 2004 champion.
"One of my favourite courts at Roland Garros is that bullring court (Court One). It's that second court, as well. I think it's a great feeling inside. It gave me a similar feeling of Court Two.
"Maybe it's a little bit of a longer walk, but a good warm-up."
Sharapova was playing on Court One on Friday where the fifth seed recovered from 4-1 down in the first set to reach the third round with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 win over gutsy British teenager Laura Robson.
Sharapova will face Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic for a place in the last 16 on Saturday.
But she faced a proper test in the opening exchanges, as well as the closing stages, against 17-year-old Robson, ranked 254 in the world and playing on a wildcard.
"She started so well. She was going for her shots and serving well that I couldn't get too many looks on her first serve," said Sharapova.
But I played better as the match went on. She's young and moving up and playing good tennis. I didn't play my best and I feel like I made more errors than I had to."
Robson, the 2008 junior champion, broke to lead 2-0 in the opening set and stretched out to 4-1 before the Siberian, watched by fiance and NBA basketball star Sasha Vujacic, hit back in the seventh game.
Robson sensed a chance when Sharapova double-faulted to give up a 4/2 lead in the tiebreak before the Russian reeled off the next five points to take the opener after an enthralling 68 minutes of action.
Sharapova was quickly ahead at 2-0 in the second set but left-hander Robson dug deep and retrieved the break immediately.
The former world number one, however, broke again to love and then backed it up with a convincing hold to go to 4-1 and another break against a wilting Robson for 5-1.
But Robson, buoyed by the home support, clung on and came back to 3-5 before Sharapova, showing all the experience of a three-time Grand Slam title winner claimed victory.
