Story highlights
Williams defeats 11th seed Julia Goerges 6-3 6-4
Sharapova thumped Karolina Pliskova 6-2 6-1
Williams slams Sharapova's book
Rafael Nadal wins 34th straight set at French Open
(CNN) —
Serena Williams felt like a ‘superhero’ as she wore a black catsuit when making her grand slam return Tuesday after 16 months away.
The Austrian blew the Monte Carlo finalist away in the first two sets, lost the third, but came through 6-2 6-0 5-7 6-4 to land in a third consecutive Roland Garros quarterfinal.
But when the world-famous duo landed in the same quarter of the draw at this year’s French Open, there was no guarantee they would clash in the fourth round.
Williams was playing her first grand slam in 16 months and only her third tournament of 2018 after giving birth to daughter Olympia in September, while Sharapova dealt with an arm injury this year and still sought top form after returning from a drug suspension in April 2017.
Yet the pair will face off indeed for the 22nd time after both won Saturday at Roland Garros.
“We are both on a comeback for two totally different reasons, and she’s been on her journey for over a year and I just started mine a couple months ago,” said Williams. “So it’s just something new and different.”
Struggling somewhat in the opening two rounds, both put in their best performances of the fortnight on a sunny, warm day in Paris that was a complete contrast to Friday’s wet, heavy conditions.
On paper, anyway, they were upset victories.
Williams – her ranking down to 451st due to a lack of matches since winning the 2017 Australian Open in the early stages of pregnancy – defeated 11th-seed Julia Goerges 6-3 6-4 Saturday evening.
The 23-time grand slam champ faced a mere one break point and tallied 85% of her first-serve points.
“I feel like every match I play I’m getting better and I’m playing tougher opponents and I’m hanging in there, and I feel like it’s going to hopefully keep going,” said Williams.
Sharapova thumped sixth-seed Karolina Pliskova 6-2 6-1 in the afternoon, winning nearly 60% of her return points versus last year’s women’s ace leader and Roland Garros semifinalist.
Monday, though, comes the hard part for 28th-seed Sharapova, no doubt the toughest challenge of her career – trying to beat Williams.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Serena Williams was all smiles after her French Open win Saturday.
Sharapova trails the series 19-2 and last overcame the American in 2004.
Sixteen straight sets have gone against her, including in the quarterfinals at the 2016 Australian Open, Sharapova’s last match prior to serving the ban for taking meldonium.
“I think any time you play against Serena you know what you’re up against,” the five-time grand slam winner told reporters. “You know the challenge that is upon you.
“Despite the record that I have against her, I always look forward to coming out on the court and competing against the best player.”
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Maria Sharapova crushed Karolina Pliskova at the French Open.
They wouldn’t be considered pals but Sharapova admitted to being “inspired” by her on-court tormentor. Their path to stardom from humble beginnings is also inspiring, according to Sharapova.
Born in Siberia, Russia, Sharapova moved to the US aged six to chase her tennis dream. Williams and older sister Venus grew up in Compton in the 1980s at a time when gang warfare was not uncommon in the Los Angeles suburb.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/Getty Images
Rafael Nadal won his record-extending 11th title at the French Open when he beat Dominic Thiem on Sunday in Paris.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/Getty Images
The Spaniard won his first French Open on his debut as a 19-year-old at Roland Garros and has only lost two matches since then.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Simona Halep beat Sloane Stephens in three sets Saturday to win the French Open and her first major after losing three grand slam finals.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Halep finally got her name on the trophy, 10 years after winning the junior title at Roland Garros.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/Getty Images
Nadal had kept alive his bid for an unprecedented 11th French Open title with a dominant semifinal win over Juan Martin del Potro in Paris.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Austria's Dominic Thiem is the pretender to Rafael Nadal's claycourt throne after booking a place in his first French Open final with victory against Marco Cecchinato.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Nadal was rattled for a set and a half against Argentine Diego Schwartzman but he took advantage of an overnight rain delay and returned with renewed vigor to win in four sets to reach the semifinals.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images
Schwartzman ended Nadal's 37-set winning streak at Roland Garros after taking the opener, but rain delayed their quarterfinal overnight and he went down in four sets to the resurgent Spaniard.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Halep had reached her second consecutive French Open final with a straight sets win over Garbine Murguruza of Spain. Halep retained her world No.1 spot as she bids for a first grand slam title.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images
Reigning US Open champion Stephens (right) beat fellow American Madison Keys to reach her first French Open final.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Two-time champion Maria Sharapova, playing her first French Open since returning from a 15-month suspension for taking the banned heart drug meldonium, lost to Muguruza in the quarterfinals.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Sharapova was due to meet old rival Serena Williams in the fourth round but the American pulled out ahead of the match with a shoulder injury.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
ERIC FEFERBERG/Getty Images
Novak Djokovic is undergoing a slump in his stellar career but was hoping to use the French Open as a springboard for better things. However, he lost out to Italy's Marco Cecchinato in the quarterfinals.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
ERIC FEFERBERG/Getty Images
The unseeded Cecchinato, who had never previously won a round at a grand slam, beat Djokovic, the 12-time major champion and 2016 French Open winner, in four sets.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
World No. 3 Alexander Zverev was expected to be one of the main challengers to Nadal but after squeezing through three five-set matches he fell to Thiem in straight sets in the quarterfinals.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was at Roland Garros watching Williams beat Julia Goerges in the third round.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
STF/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
No Frenchman has triumphed on home clay since Yannick Noah in 1983 and the drought continued this year. No French players made the fourth round.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images
Williams turned heads in this black catsuit as she made her first grand slam appearance for 16 months following the birth of her daughter in September. The 23-time grand slam champion said it made her feel like a "warrior princess" but added it helped with her circulation.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
THOMAS SAMSON/Getty Images
The Williams sisters teamed up in doubles, but after overpowering Japan's Miyu Kato and Shuko Aoyama (pictured) in their first match they crashed out in the third round.
Photos: French Open 2018: Title No. 11 for Rafa?
PHOTO:
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images