Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova
Maria Yuryevna Sharapova; born April 19, 1987) is a Russian professional tennis player. A United States resident since 1994, Sharapova has competed on the WTA tour since 2001. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA on five separate occasions, for a total of 21 weeks. She is one of ten women, and the only Russian, to hold the career Grand Slam. She is also an Olympic medalist, having earned silver for Russia in women's singles...
NationalityRussian
ProfessionTennis Player
Date of Birth19 April 1987
CityNyagan, Russia
CountryRussian Federation
It feels really great. Honestly I was having a really tough end of the year last year. You know, not a lot of people know about it, but it was very frustrating because tournament after tournament, you know, I'd be working hard and I'd be trying to get back in shape and all of a sudden my injury would bring me down again.
There was a lot of rustiness, ... The first match (after a layoff) is always tough. You practice hard and work on a lot of things, but the actual competition is totally different. I was just trying to get in a groove, get my feet wet.
The WTA Tour and the ATP and the ITF and everyone that's in this whole tennis world needs to come together because I think each and every one of them is trying to make a business in their own little shell. In order to make this game bigger and better, I definitely think they need to come together.
You practice hard and work on a lot of things, but the actual competition is totally different. I was just trying to get in a groove.
I haven't played a lot of matches, so I'm just trying to get used to the conditions, the stadium, the wind, playing under the lights for the first time in a while. When you're out for a little while, first match you're a little tentative. The injury, you don't know how it's going to be. So far it's OK.
It's actually shocking. Before I was trying to lay off the whole thing, saying, ‘I'm not worried about it, it's not important.' But you know, once you get there, it's, like, wow!
It was very frustrating because tournament after a tournament, I'd be working hard, I'd be trying to get back in shape, and all of a sudden my injury would bring me down again.
I gave it all I had in the tie breaker and then in the third I ran out of gas, ... At that point it's pretty tough, physically as the points were going longer, it was to Kim's advantage. Physically, I still have to get a lot better.
I now have two titles (singles and doubles) under my belt and it feels great, ... I think with these things, it is a matter of time. If you put in the hard work - and I have worked so hard - I think this week really showed and it paid off.
I think I learn a lot from losses and they make me a lot tougher,
I think they obviously wanted a better match. After the first set, it didn't look like it was going to be much of a match.
I think today I played much better, especially in the first set, than in my first match on Wednesday,
This is my favorite grand slam and I'd never imagined I'd be in the final so early. I don't know what to say, I'm going to cry right now.
I know I didn't win this match fairly,