• Australian Open, Day Three

Stosur admits she choked as Sharapova ignores record

Sam Stosur's nightmare record at the Australian Open continued © Getty Images

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Novak Djokovic believes Ryan Harrison has the potential to make it to the top despite hammering the American 6-1 6-2 6-3 in the second round on Tuesday.

"Well, we all know that the hard work and dedication pays off in the end. So I'm sure, knowing him for last two years, that he's gonna put on these hours on the court and off the court being very professional, committed. It's more difficult to make that breakthrough for a youngster. He needs patience and he needs to believe in himself and wait for a chance.

"At the end of the day, of course on the other hand you have to have respect for the sport and for your opponents, and just take it step by step, I guess. He knows the best what he really wants inside of him. It's a matter of, as I said, self-belief, putting a lot of hours and a lot of matches on the tour."

Sam Stosur admitted she mentally capitulated as she threw away 5-2 lead in the third set to crash out 6-4 1-6 7-5 to Zheng Jie.

"At 5 2 up in the third, double break probably is a bit of a choke," Stosur admitted. "You make an error and you tighten up a little bit, but you try and reset and refocus before that next point.

"You know, unfortunately it just kept happening point after point after point. You know, then crazy things start popping into your head, and before you know it, you're back on even terms and really lost a lead that, you know, with two breaks in the third should never go away."

Maria Sharapova insists she is not resting on her laurels after becoming the first player since Wendy Turnbull in 1985 to win her opening two matches 6-0 6-0.

"It's not really the statistic I want to be known for. I want to be known for winning grand slam titles, not that I won two matches 6-0 6-0," Sharapova said. "You know, I'm just happy that I won the match and I get to go through and I'm in the next round.

"Without looking at the scoreboard, I don't want anyone to know what score it is on the scoreboard just by looking at my face or my attitude. I try to play every single point like I really need to win it."

Sharapova will meet Venus Williams in the third round and the American insisted she was concentrating on her own game rather than her next opponent.

"I don't think I'm really going into it with a different mentality except really focusing on what I'm doing with the ball. That's pretty much it. I mean, for me, I know I'm not the highest seed, so I realize I'm probably going to have to play someone and someone is going to have to play me. That's pretty much what it is.

"I don't think about things that way. I play the ball. There's going to be days when you play great and win, and there's going to be days when you play not as great and you win. Whatever day that is, you have to win. It's not about for me I have to play perfect every match. I don't have that mentality."

Sam Querrey admitted he felt for Brian Baker after his opponent was forced to retire with a knee injury. Baker, who returned to the professional tour last year after seven years of injury hell, was taken off court in a wheelchair.

"I didn't see what happened," Querrey said. "He said he kind of just felt his knee almost buckle and kind of heard like a pop or a snap. He didn't know if it was bones or a tear, but he couldn't straighten it, couldn't walk. I feel awful for him.

"He's the last person that deserves anything like that with his five or six surgeries already. He does everything right, treats his body great, just trying to come back, and then something like that happens, it's just so unlucky."

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