There’s nothing like Wimbledon for Sharapova
18-year-old tennis star ready to defend last year's title
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BIRMINGHAM, England - For Maria Sharapova, Wimbledon stands alone.
“If I could win 10 Wimbledons and not another Grand Slam I’d take that,” she said Saturday. “It’s amazing. It’s the best tournament in the world.”
The Russian produced a startling victory there last year at 17. On Monday, she returns to the DFS Classic, the grass-court warmup that served as a prelude to her triumph at All England Club.
Sharapova defeated two-time defending champion Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4 in the Wimbledon final to become the third-youngest winner in the tournament’s 127-year history.
In two years, Sharapova has gone from a promising teenager with an on-court grunt to the world’s best player on grass. Back then, she was asked about her dreams as a rising tennis star. Now the questions are about whether she fears burnout.
“It’s been a year and I haven’t seen myself burn out yet,” she said. “There’s 365 days in a year and that’s a long time to get burned out. I’m still here fresh as a daisy. If you see fire coming out of me let me know.”
Two years ago in Birmingham, Sharapova was warned by tournament officials to lower the volume on her grunting when she hit the ball. Her high-pitched shrieks brought complaints from the players on the next court. Eventually, the standard of her game took over and she became one of the most prominent faces in tennis.
“I have gotten so used to being recognized that I don’t have time to think about it because it’s normal now,” she said. “Before, it might have been a bit of a surprise that people recognized me but now it has become a part of my life that I have to deal with.
“But, if I wasn’t winning, then people wouldn’t be recognizing me and you people wouldn’t be writing about me. When they don’t write about you you know you’re in trouble.”
Sharapova’s height and power makes her a natural on grass and she has joined the likes of Lindsay Davenport and the Williams sisters — also tall players — on the list of winners at the All England Club.
“I think I have a better chance than anybody on grass because it’s my favorite surface and because it suits my game and I love it,” she said.
She has lost just once at the DFS Classic, in the semifinals two years ago to Shinobu Asagoe of Japan, and that was after a third-set tiebreaker. None of her big rivals is competing this time, and the biggest danger could be second-seeded Alicia Molik of Australia.
Sharapova lost in the French Open quarterfinals to Justine Henin-Hardenne, who won the title at Roland Garros on Saturday. Now the pressure of Wimbledon awaits.
“I have really never taken pressure too seriously because it’s always part of the sport,” Sharapova said. “I’m the defending champion here and at Wimbledon so there is extra pressure. But pressure drives me and I enjoy it.”
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