Maria Sharapova to make Fed Cup Debut next month
March 29, 2007
World number two Maria Sharapova will make her long-awaited Fed Cup debut for Russia against Spain in next month’s World Group first-round tie.
“It’s all has been agreed and unless she is injured, we will see Maria in Moscow in April,” Russia’s tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev, who is also their Fed Cup captain, told reporters on Wednesday.
Sharapova will be joined by world number three Svetlana Kuznetsova and world number seven Nadia Petrova for the two-day indoor tie at Moscow’s Luzhniki Sports Palace from April 21 to 22.
Serena Williams Defeats Sharapova…AGAIN
March 29, 2007
Another bad tournament for Sharapova as she has been knocked out of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami by none other than Serena Williams.
Australian Open tennis champion Serena Williams of the United States easily defeated top-seeded Maria Sharapova of Russia. The 13th-seeded Williams overpowered Sharapova, 6-1, 6-1, in a rematch of their Australian Open final earlier this year. Williams next faces No. 8 Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic for a berth in the last eight.
Key Biscayne - Sharapova Get a Winning Start
March 25, 2007
Maria Sharapova began her bid to regain the No. 1 ranking Saturday by beating Chan Yung-jan 6-3, 6-2 in her opening match at the Sony Ericsson Open.
Sharapova is seeded No. 1, but her seven-week reign atop the rankings ended this week when she was overtaken by Justine Henin.
Seeking her first Key Biscayne title, Sharapova faces a difficult draw. She could face Venus and Serena Williams — each a three-time champion — in her next two matches.
Sharapova Losses and will be dethroned from number 1 spot
March 14, 2007
A sad day all around as Russian beauty Maria Sharapova will be set to lose her number 1 rank in women’s tennis after crashing out of the Pacific Life Open with a 4-6 7-5 6-1 defeat to VERA Zvonareva.
She led 5-3 in the second set before losing eight consecutive games.
“I’m not making any excuses,” said Sharapova. “There is no use in that. It is one of those days where it didn’t happen.”
The victory, in front of a crowd of 3000, moved Zvonareva into the quarter-finals and cost Sharapova her world No.1 ranking.
Sharapova had extra pressure on her here, as she needed to reach the semi-finals to hold on to top spot.
Maria Sharapova Defeats Nathalie Dechy in the Pacific Life Open
March 12, 2007
Maria Sharapova overcame a sore hamstring, brutal heat and a lack of match practice to reach round four of the Pacific Life Open on Sunday.
The world number one beat France’s Nathalie Dechy 7-5 6-2 and next faces number 15 seed Vera Zvonareva.
Sharapova said: “I only started serving five days before the event because I got injured when I landed on serve.”
The Russian has hardly played since losing to Serena Williams in the Australian Open final in January.
Sharapova MUST reached the semis to retain number 1 crown
March 8, 2007
Russia’s Maria Sharapova will be battling to retain her world No. 1 ranking as well as her title in the women’s draw of Pacific Life Open.
While top seed Sharapova enjoyed a first-round bye, Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands booked a shot at the Russian glamour-girl with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Sweden’s Sofia Arvidsson yesterday.
When she does launch her defence later this week, Sharapova will be playing for the first time since 3 February, when she strained her hamstring in the semi-finals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open. She must reach the semi-finals here to maintain her world No. 1 ranking over Belgian Justine Henin, one of several notable absentees
