Maria Sharapova / 2, Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia, 2008.
July 9, 2008
Ranked #3 in the world (WTA: 5/5/2008). Maria Sharapova is the women’s champion of the 2008 AO.
Sharapova Returns!
August 2, 2007
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.
Maria Sharapova advances to the third round of Wimbledon
June 29, 2007
This time around is was a much easier ride for Sharapova as she defeated France’s Severine Bremond 6-0 6-3.
Bremond, 35 places behind the stylish Russian in the world rankings, looked headed for an embarrassing whitewash in a one-sided first set.
The French player, who was a Wimbledon quarter-finalist last year, put up a brief fight in the second set.
But the gritty Sharapova, who won Wimbledon at the age of 17 in 2004, never looked seriously troubled on a windswept Centre Court and earned a third-round tie against Japan’s Ai Sugiyama.
Sharapova Confident Ahead of Wimbledon
June 18, 2007
Maria Sharapova is feeling pretty confident before next week’s Wimbledon after finishing strongly French Open semifinals earlier this month, on one of her least favourite surfaces and while still recovering from a shoulder injury that sidelined her for two months.
“I think that definitely gives me a lot of confidence moving on to the grass season,” the 20-year-old world No 2 said.
“If my shoulder holds up and goes the way it went the last two weeks then I’m definitely really confident.”
Aravane Rezai beats top-seeded Maria Sharapova - Istanbul Cup
May 27, 2007
Aravane Rezai beat top-seeded Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-4 on Friday to reach the final of the Istanbul Cup.
The 20-year-old Frenchwoman, who is ranked 62 in the world, was due to meet another Russian player, Elena Dementieva, in yesterday’s final of the clay-court French Open warmup.
“I am glad that I came here and I played a few matches before Roland Garros, though it is unfortunate to lose in the semi-finals,” Sharapova said.
Sharapova, who served seven double faults, is now looking ahead to doing well at the French Open.
“I have all the motivation in the world,” she said. “I have been working very hard in the last weeks.”
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.
