Olympic Spotlight on…Maria Sharapova

Interview with Maria Sharapova (RUS) (MP3 format)

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Q: How excited are you about the Olympics?

MS: I’m very excited. It’s every young boy’s and girl’s dream to participate in the Olympics. To actually know that it’s coming up in a few months is very exciting and I’m very looking forward to being a part of it.

Q: You’ve talked about when you were growing up, you imagined being at the Olympics.

MS: I did. It was one of the things that my parents allowed me to watch on TV late. One of those was the opening ceremony. I remember being up at one in the morning because I’d have to wait until Russia would come up. Obviously, that’s a later letter in the alphabet. So it was very exciting.

And I remember them wearing their white berets. I used to have a similar one, so I’d put it on while they were walking and pretend like I was part of it. Those were some great memories.

Q: Did you ever really think you could have the name Maria Sharapova Olympian?

MS: When I was younger, I imagined myself playing Wimbledon, but I never thought ‘Maria Sharapova, Wimbledon champion.’ So anything is possible. The exciting thing about the Olympics is that it comes only once in four years. It’s a dream come true for every athlete. I’m just very excited about the whole experience.

Q: When you watching as a child, what did you think you were going to be participating in?

MS: When I was watching it, I was already playing tennis. So, of course, I was hoping that I’d be a tennis player, which I am. But, you know, in Russia, figure skating was a huge sport, and gymnastics.

Q: What is you favourite moment in all the Olympics you’ve watched?

MS: Always my favorite parts were the stage where all the athletes received their gold medals. Each one would come up for the bronze, the silver, then the gold, then the anthems would be. You see the emotion in each athletes’ eyes. That was very cool to see.

Q: Can you imagine what it’s going to be like walking out with the Russian team?

MS: I don’t know. I’m getting chills just thinking about it. You know, it’s really surreal. My imagination of it is just picturing all these athletes in this one big room getting lined up to go outside in front of thousands and thousands of people.

Q: Who would you like to meet in Beijing if you get the opportunity?

MS: I’d love to meet my fellow Russian athletes from different sports because we never really get to chat or even meet. So especially the ones that are doing really well, you know, in gymnastics and stuff like that.

Q: If you did happen to medal, where would that rank for you with your Grand Slam titles?

MS: It would be incredible. But I think just the fact that I get to participate in it, you know, is an honour. But getting a medal would be incredible.

Sharapova Returns!

Maria Sharapova made a formidable start to the hardcourt season, the US Open champion crushing Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1, 6-3 in the second round of the San Diego Classic. The Florida-based Russian world No2 launched her title defense with apparent ease as she returned to competition for the first time since falling in the fourth round at Wimbledon to eventual champion Venus Williams. The two-time Grand Slam champion showedno sign of discomfort from the lingering shoulder worry which required a pain-killing injection in the spring. Sharapova skipped Russia’s Fed Cup tie last month against the United States amid harsh home criticism, saying she needed to rest her injury. The 20-year-old, who lifted last year’s San Diego title without the loss of a set, beating Kim Clijsters in the final, led a string of Russians into the third round. Three other seeded Russians and world No42 Maria Kirilenko all advanced in straight sets.

Sharapova Advances to the semi-finals of the French Open

Maria Sharapova beat 20-year-old Russian Anna Chakvetadze 6-3 6-4 to progress despite her shoulder injury.

Chakvetadze, who lost to Sharapova in the quarter-finals of this year’s Australian Open, bowed out by firing a backhand return wide on the first match point.

Former Wimbledon champion Sharapova, who is hampered by a sore shoulder and said here she felt like a “cow on ice” on clay, will face Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic for a place in the final.

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In the meantime the crowds at the French Open have Booed and Jeered Sharapova.

The Russian trailed 40-15 in the 16th game of the third set when she decided it was time to switch racquets.

She earned a time violation from the chair umpire but carried on unfazed amid the whistles and jeers to win the next four points and seal a 3-6 6-4 9-7 victory.

The spectators had turned on Sharapova in the previous game when she won a disputed point while serving at 30-0.

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Sharapova Pulls Through Despite Injury

Maria Sharapova pulled through her shoulder injury pains to reach the quater-finals of the French Open, beating Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 3-6, 6-4, 9-7..

Schnyder served for the match three times, at 5-4, 6-5 and 7-6 in the third set. She was one point away from ending the match in the 10th game and again in the 14th - and she also was two points away from victory on 11 occasions.

When Sharapova pulled it out on her first match point, as Schnyder sailed a forehand wide to get broken again, the Russian covered her face with both hands and looked on the verge of tears. As both players met at the net, there was a mix of boos and applause.

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Sharapova advances to the third round of French Open

Maria Sharapova, who missed nearly two months of the season because of an injured right shoulder, reached the third round in the women’s draw, easily beating Jill Craybas of the United States 6-2, 6-1.

“I feel it at times in the match,” Sharapova said. “I try not to think about it.”

Up 2-1 at the start, Craybas held three break points at love-40. But Sharapova won the next 11 points, holding serve with the help of three forehand winners in a row, then breaking Craybas at love when the American dumped a volley into the net with the entire court open.

Maria Sharapova to make Fed Cup Debut next month

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.

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