She’s back.

In case you didn’t notice, the hot and sexy Maria Sharapova returned to the Grand Slam stage on Court 1 at the French Open last Monday. Unfortunately, it didn’t feel like she was back to her lofty standards, as one might expect after shoulder surgery in October and only 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 Maria Sharapova at the top of her game, but since the sexy Russian ain’t there just yet, there was trouble as early as Day 1 of the 2009 French Open at Roland Garros.

Thankfully, Maria Sharapova’s first match at a major tournament in nearly a year ended with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Yakimova. However, 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,” three-time major champion Maria Sharapova 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.”

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 world No.1.

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

Sharapova hadn’t played a match at a major since June 26, 2008, when she was upset 6-2, 6-4 in Wimbledon’s second round by 154th-ranked Alla Kudryavtseva. Go further back, to June 3, and Sharapova lost in the fourth round to Safina at the French Open.

On Monday, she was back at Roland Garros, playing the game that made her rich and famous before she turned 20.

”I love being here, and there’s no better feeling than waving to the crowd after you’ve won,” Sharapova said. ”From the hour you’re in the locker room and putting your dress on, to the 15 minutes before your match, where you’re warming up and you’re pumping yourself up and you’re going to get out there in front of 20,000 people, you miss that. I certainly missed it.”

Who will win the 2009 French Open at Roland Garros? SPORTSBETTING.COM has the odds.

Men’s Division

Rafael Nadal 1-3

Roger Federer 9-2

Novak Djokovic 7-1

Andy Roddick 60-1

Women’s Division

Ana Ivanovic 4-1

Dinara Safina 8-1

Maria Sharapova 10-1

Serena Williams 3-1

Want more odds? Visit SPORTSBETTING.COM for more French Open betting odds. Want to watch the 2009 French Open live? Get sporting events tickets online now.

French Open Maria Sharapova

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