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Maria Sharapova granted with a US Open main draw wild card
Spoiler:
Tenth wild card of the year for Maria Sharapova, and the most important one so far. The Russian player, World No. 148, won't have to play US Open qualies as she has been granted with an invitation to play in the main draw. A surprisint choice considerating that Roland Garros didn't give her wild card and Wimbledon didn't want to do it neither.
The American tennis federation commented: 'The suspension under the terms of Tennis Antidoping programme was completed and therefore was not one of the factors that weighted in our wild card selection progress. Consistent with past practice, a wild card was provided to a past US champion who needed wild card for entry into the main draw. Previous US Open champion who have received US Open wild cards include Martina Hingis, Lleyton Hewitt, Kim Clijsters and Juan Martin del Potro. Additionally, Sharapova has volontureed to speak to young tennis players at USTA National Campus about the importance of the antidoping programme and the personal responsability each player has to comply with the program's requirements.'
Other wild cards for the women's draw went to Taylor Townsend, Sofia Kenin, Kayla Day, Brienne Minor, Ashley Kratzer, the French Amandine Hesse plus an Australian still to be nomined.
Maria Szarapowa ujawniła, jak nazwała ją Serena Williams
Spoiler:
W wydanej właśnie autobiografii Maria Szarapowa ujawniła początki jej konfliktu z Sereną Williams. Rosjanka zdradziła, że Amerykanka nazwała ją "suką" po ich meczu w 2004 roku.
Nie jest żadną tajemnicą, że relacje Marii Szarapowej z Sereną Williams nie należą do przyjaznych. Obie zawodniczki nie raz nie szczędziły sobie złośliwych komentarzy, dotyczących także ich życia prywatnego.
Jak jednak zaczął się konflikt obu gwiazd tenisa? Odpowiedź można znaleźć w najnowszej autobiografii Rosjanki "Unstoppable: My Life So Far" (Niepowstrzymana: Moje dotychczasowe życie - tłum. red).
Choć książka trafi do księgarń 12 września, w sieci pojawiły się już jej fragmenty. Jeden z nich dotyczy drugiego spotkania Szarapowej i Williams na korcie. W 2004 roku obie zawodniczki rywalizowały w finale Wimbledonu, a mecz zakończył się niespodziewanym triumfem tej pierwszej.
"Po meczu w szatni słyszałam tylko jej płacz i krzyki. Choć szybko wyszłam, ona zauważyła, że to widziałam. Potem miała powiedzieć swojej przyjaciółce, że już nigdy nie przegra z tą "małą suką". Myślę, że właśnie wtedy zaczęła mnie nienawidzić" - zdradziła Szarapowa.
Według niej Amerykanka do dziś nie może jej wybaczyć, że potrafiła ją wtedy pokonać i następnie widziała jej łzy. "To chyba dlatego potem udało się mi się z nią wygrać tylko jeden raz" - oceniła.
Williams i Szarapowa rozegrały 19 spotkań i aż 17 kończyło się zwycięstwami tej pierwszej.
Q. You've had time in writing your book to reflect on your career and your life. Could you put tonight's incredible opening triumph in perspective? In particular can you compare it in some ways to your early Wimbledon win and your French Open win, other big moments?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, I'll say this. I think when I found out that I received the wild card, I was obviously extremely excited. I realized how long it had been since I played at the US Open. Just the thought of being back here. When me and my coach first scheduled my practice on center court, actually it got moved because they had some maintenance issues. I was upset about it because I really wanted that first practice on center court. Those little things you kind of take for granted. From the moment that I've been here, I've really understood what this means to me, to be back and to be playing.
Then when the draw came out, I knew what a difficult matchup this would be, how much excitement was behind this matchup and the hype. That all goes to the fact that we've just competed so well against each other in the past. Really produced some good tennis.
Despite not playing a lot of matches coming into this, it almost seemed like I had no right to win this match today. And I somehow did. I think that is what I'm most proud of.
Q. Could you take us through your emotions, any nerves you were feeling during the match? You seemed focused during the match. We saw the tears afterwards.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I mean, I was excited. I was very looking forward to it. From the second I found out I was playing Simona, I was actually getting my nails done, I got my phone out and I pulled up YouTube videos of our matches and started studying our matches.
I felt like going into this match, I knew my game plan. It's one thing knowing what you want to do and it's another thing executing it. I haven't been on court much in the last few weeks, not as much as anyone that's in the draw this week.
The fact that I was able to come out and play that way, beat the No. 2 player in the world in the first round of the US Open, it's been a while, I think those are definitely the emotions that I was feeling.
Q. I saw close-ups of your face after the match. There were tears, but there was a joyful laugh. You were mixing both together. What were you actually feeling? Were you able to laugh at the whole situation somewhat?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I felt like my team and I have been through a lot. To be in that moment, to be competing there, to see them with me. Tennis is a very individual sport. You feel like it's just you most of the time out there. Since I've come back, I feel like I'm on a team. You know, I'm not just winning for myself, but I'm winning for everyone that has stood behind me. That is a very special feeling to have.
Q. On ESPN you were saying you didn't actually feel like you were hitting the ball particularly well leading up to tonight's match in practices. Can you talk through where you thought it wasn't kind of coming together for you on the practice court, and how do you explain being able to put together a performance like that?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I think it all just comes down to the fact that I have not spent as much time on the court. I actually a couple weeks ago did not even know if I'd be able to compete here.
So getting that MRI in Cincinnati, just looking back at August 12th, it was not a fun day. It was not a fun day getting that MRI, getting the result of it, speaking to a doctor, flying to New York, getting another opinion, with the thought that I might miss the US Open.
Looking back at that and seeing where I am today, it's just, I don't know, pretty amazing that I was able to produce that tennis because it wasn't there in the days leading up to this tournament.
Q. Considering how well you played and the caliber of your opponent, does this give you maybe a little bit different idea of how far you can go now?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Look, I'll enjoy this for a little bit of time, then I have to move on. But I definitely have to value the feeling that I have now. I think that's important. I can't take that for granted. I can't take the level for granted. I can't take my emotions for granted.
This is a big win for me, and I will enjoy it, then move on to the next one.
Q. I don't know if you at all care what the crowd reaction is. It was incredibly positive throughout. After what you've been through, what does that mean to you?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: So much. So special. I felt the support in the States, I mean, even just the first match in Stanford. It's a smaller event, a smaller venue, it's a little bit more intimate. This is obviously a different scale, completely different caliber to anywhere you play in the world. It's electric.
As much as I want to be in the zone, focus in on what I have to do, execution and all those things, I definitely felt the energy. I felt the crowd. I felt it for both of us, you know. That's what makes this great. I love that feeling, that there's fans cheering for both players, that it's a great match and a great level. They're getting their evening's worth.
Q. You just spoke about the wild card the US Open gave you. Roland Garros didn't give it to you. Do you think it was a fair decision?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: That's the past. We're past that now.
Q. You have this incredible 18-0 record on Ashe at night. On court I think you said, Prime time, baby. What makes Maria Sharapova such a great big-stage player?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't know. My philosophy is you don't train on all of those back courts, you don't train in the early mornings, in tough conditions, just by yourself, not to want to play in the biggest matches that are in front of you.
I love the opportunities. I love the challenge. That's what I play for. If that's not it, where are you going to find the drive? Where are you going to find the inspiration? These are the moments that inspire me.
Q. Is there anything about her and the way that she plays that feeds into your game? You've won seven times in seven matches. Many other players produce a lot of errors when they play against her. For you, it seems to have worked out so far.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I wouldn't say it feeds. We've had really tough matches. They haven't necessarily been blowouts. But I do think that she is the type of opponent that would have beaten me many times when I was younger. This was the type of player that I had a lot of trouble with, someone that could be out there for three hours at a time and just grind, come up with the great shots.
You saw the level she was able to produce in the end with the down-the-line running winners. I mean, she's No. 2 in the world, close to No. 1. That speaks for itself.
But she's been on the losing end of the matches. In terms of being in the moment, competing in the way that we do, we love that feeling.
Q. You mentioned about prime time. You wore a great dress for prime time.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Thank you.
Q. Were you involved in the design of the beautiful dress you wore tonight?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I was. I actually worked with Riccardo Tisci alongside Nike. I got to personally meet Riccardo. It was an incredible experience because just me and him sitting at my dining room table at my house just talking inspiration, lace. He was still working at Givenchy at the time. I'm very grateful for all the collaborations I've been a part of with Nike. This one I think is really special.
Maria Szarapowa: Chciałabym zagrać w igrzyskach olimpijskich w Tokio w 2020 roku
Spoiler:
- Chciałabym wziąć udział w igrzyskach olimpijskich w Tokio w 2020 rok. Jednak jeśli mi się nie uda, nie będzie to dla mnie rozczarowanie - powiedziała Maria Szarapowa.
Łukasz Iwanek
Łukasz Iwanek
22 Grudnia 2017, 08:30
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Getty Images / Richard Heathcote / Staf / Maria Szarapowa
Dominika Cibulkova: Nie jest już tak samo, gdy miałam 20 lat i mogłam trenować jak koń
W kwietniu Maria Szarapowa wznowiła karierę po zawieszeniu za doping. Aktualnie była liderka rankingu klasyfikowana jest na 59. miejscu. W igrzyskach olimpijskich w Rio de Janeiro nie mogła zagrać, bo odbywała karę. Teraz myśli o występie w Tokio w 2020 roku, ale podchodzi do tego spokojnie.
- Na ten moment nie mogę sobie tego wyobrazić, ale nigdy nie mów nigdy. Chciałabym wystąpić w igrzyskach olimpijskich w Tokio w 2020 roku. Jednak jeśli mi się nie uda, nie będzie to dla mnie rozczarowanie - powiedziała Rosjanka w rozmowie z "Bildem".
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- Zawsze uważałam się, że silną osobę. Podczas zawieszenia zdałam sobie sprawę, że złe samopoczucie i samotność jest czymś normalnym. Czasem prowadzę pamiętnik, ale były sytuacje, gdy ciężko było mi przenieść moje myśli na papier. Następnie ludzie wokół mnie zaczęli mówić, że po tych wszystkich trudnościach dorosłam na poziomie osobistym - stwierdziła zdobywczyni pięciu wielkoszlemowych tytułów.
- Spałam dobrze w przeddzień mojego pierwszego meczu po powrocie. Byłam przygotowana na każdy scenariusz. Bez względu na wynik podeszłabym do tego spokojnie. Niemniej jednak ponowne rozgrywanie turniejów było szokiem. Tak naprawdę nie możesz się w pełni do takiej sytuacji przygotować - dodała Szarapowa, która w Stuttgarcie, w pierwszym starcie po powrocie, doszła do półfinału.
W październiku Rosjanka zdobyła tytuł w Tiencinie, pierwszy od maja 2015 roku, a w sumie 36. w głównym cyklu. Największe triumfy Szarapowa święciła w Wimbledonie 2004, US Open 2006, Australian Open 2008 oraz Rolandzie Garrosie 2012 i 2014.
Sezon 2018 była liderka rankingu rozpocznie w Shenzhen.
Time to be concerned, very concerned, for Maria Sharapova
Spoiler:
MELBOURNE, Australia -- This was the match Maria Sharapova said she wanted -- a quality opponent on a big stage to get a true gauge on exactly where she stood since her return to competitive tennis eight months ago.
In a third-round match against Angelique Kerber that was hyped as being worthy of a final, only one player competed at a championship level. Broken in the first game to start the match, Sharapova never got back on track as Kerber took just 64 minutes on her way to an easy 6-1, 6-3 win.
So, the final judgment after this highly anticipated match between two former Australian Open champions?
Just because Lauren Davis lost doesn't mean she failed
Go ahead and ask Lauren Davis about her heartbreaking loss to Simona Halep and she'll tell you everything is OK. It's that attitude that will propel her to new heights.
Ashleigh Barty is out of the Australian Open after falling victim to the awesome firepower of Japan's Naomi Osaka.
No. 1 Halep survives Davis in marathon last set
Unseeded American Lauren Davis took No. 1 Simona Halep to 48 games before Halep claimed victory. Those 48 games are tied for the most total games in a women's Australian Open match in the Open era.
Sharapova should be concerned. Very concerned.
It's one thing to lose with aggression on the big stage, as unseeded Lauren Davis did earlier in the day on the same court against top-seeded Simona Halep.
It's another thing to be completely crushed, which was the case with Sharapova.
It was a smackdown and so one-sided that Sharapova left the court quickly after the affair. When she walked into the media room later to explain what happened, her solemn demeanor indicated a spirit that had been severely shaken.
"It's never easy to be on the losing end of things, be sitting in a press conference talking about a loss," Sharapova said. "But I'm here because I'm motivated to get better at my craft. I really do believe that I can; otherwise I wouldn't be here."
Yes, Sharapova can get better. But is it realistic to believe that she can get back to the championship level that produced five career Grand Slam titles?
Sharapova won here in Australia in 2008, capping a string of three Grand Slam championships in a five-year period. She is one of only 10 women to hold the career Grand Slam.
But she hasn't won a Grand Slam event since 2014.
For both Kerber and Sharapova, quite a bit has changed since the Australian Open two years ago.
Kerber won that 2016 event, went on to win the 2016 US Open and ended that year as the No. 1 player in the world. That momentum didn't continue into 2017, when she reached just one final the entire year and never made it past the round of 16 in any major.
But Kerber is in the field of 16 here in Melbourne and is playing as well as anyone in the tournament.
Sharapova tested positive for a banned substance at the 2016 Australian Open, which led to her serving a 15-month suspension. Aside from Sharapova's win over Halep in the opening round of the 2017 US Open -- her first major after returning from her suspension -- Sharapova has struggled to maintain any type of consistency against quality opponents. Since Sharapova's return, in the 10 matches in which she has played against opponents ranked in the top 25, she is 5-5.
We can't pin the struggles of Sharapova, 30, on age -- not in an era when some of her peers have played at a high level deep into their thirties. Kerber is also 30.
"I definitely take great examples of a Federer or a Nadal or a Serena and Venus, that have continued to have the motivation that they do at this age," Sharapova said. "The commitment and the work they're able to put in -- it's not just walking through a Grand Slam tunnel and getting on the court."
You can't blame Sharapova's flat performance against Kerber on time away from the sport. That would have served as an excuse after she returned last April in Stuttgart, Germany. (She reached the finals there.)
And you can't blame her struggles on being banged up, because everyone's dealing with varying degrees of aches and pains.
Maria Sharapova converted only 38 percent of her first serves in a straight-sets loss against Angelique Kerber on Saturday. Vincent Thian/Associated Press
Sharapova, who last made a Grand Slam final in 2015 here in Melbourne, admitted that in her time away during the suspension, it was tough to maintain her competitive balance because of the lack of actual matches.
"I know there's nothing that can replicate playing tournaments and playing matches, no matter what you do, no matter how you train, no matter how you practice," she said.
But she's been back for a while now.
And Sharapova is still in search of her championship form.
It sure wasn't anywhere near Rod Laver Stadium on Saturday against Kerber.
"I think there are a lot of things I need to get better at and to improve on," Sharapova said. "But looking at the overall picture, the overall beginning of this year, finishing the tournament, first thing is that I'm healthy.
"There's a lot to build from. I know maybe that isn't what you want to hear, but personally that's important for me."
Maria Szarapowa z kolejną dziką kartą. Po 12 latach wystąpi w Dubaju
Spoiler:
Maria Szarapowa wystąpi w obu turniejach WTA rozgrywanych w lutym na Bliskim Wschodzie. Po zawodach w Dosze Rosjanka poleci do Dubaju, gdzie ostatni raz startowała w 2006 roku.
Kilka dni temu Maria Szarapowa poinformowała, że nie wystąpi w halowym turnieju WTA Premier w Petersburgu. Pięciokrotna mistrzyni wielkoszlemowa skierowała uwagę na Bliski Wschód i otrzymała pomoc od organizatorów. Rosjance przyznano dzikie karty do imprezy WTA Premier 5 w Dosze (12-17 lutego) i WTA Premier w Dubaju (19-24 lutego).
- Maria Szarapowa to jedna z najbardziej znanych sportsmenek na świecie. W 2014 roku jako pierwsza tenisistka przekroczyła 15 mln polubień na Facebooku. To przyjemność gościć tak popularną zawodniczkę w Dubaju. Nie możemy się już doczekać, aby zobaczyć, jak sobie poradzi w tak licznym gronie kandydatek do tytułu - powiedział dyrektor turnieju Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Salah Tahlak.
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Szarapowa rzeczywiście nie będzie w Dubaju narzekać na brak konkurencji. W Zjednoczonych Emiratach Arabskich zaprezentują się m.in. Hiszpanka Garbine Muguruza, Ukrainka Elina Switolina i Czeszka Karolina Pliskova. Pewne miejsce w głównej drabince ma również Agnieszka Radwańska.
Her primetime matchup with then-No. 2-ranked Simona Halep at the US Open stands as one of the most anticipated opening-round encounters at a Grand Slam. A zoning Sharapova outpunched the then-No. 2-ranked Romanian in three tough sets and showed that she’s still more than capable of playing top-flight tennis. But the two-time BNP Paribas Open titlist has since struggled with consistency. Historically one of the tour’s most confident performers, that may just be what she’s lacking now.
Maria Szarapowa zabrała głos po porażce z Osaką. "Naomi to wschodząca gwiazda"
Spoiler:
Maria Szarapowa odpadła w środę w I rundzie turnieju BNP Paribas Open 2018. Dwukrotna mistrzyni zawodów w Indian Wells nie była oczywiście zadowolona z wyniku, ale potrafiła docenić klasę Naomi Osaki.
- Zależało mi na tym, aby pokazać się w Indian Wells z dobrej strony i to nie tylko dlatego, że wygrałam ten turniej dwukrotnie [w sezonie 2006 i 2013 - przyp. red.]. Chciałam zostać tutaj trochę dłużej, ale w tym roku tak się jednak nie stanie - powiedziała Maria Szarapowa, która przegrała w I rundzie BNP Paribas Open 2018 z Naomi Osaką 4:6, 4:6.
Rosjanka w pełni doceniła klasę 20-letniej Japonki, która w piątek zmierzy się z Agnieszką Radwańską. - To wschodząca gwiazda. Grała bardzo dobrze. Jest szybka, agresywna, uderza piłki głęboko i dysponuje potężnym serwisem. Trzeba się przyzwyczaić do jej tempa i uważać, ponieważ ona lubi grać swoje - przyznała pięciokrotna mistrzyni wielkoszlemowa.
Szarapowa po raz drugi z rzędu zakończyła występ w zawodach głównego cyklu na I rundzie. 41. obecnie tenisistka świata nie ukrywa, że jeszcze trochę potrwa, zanim wejdzie na właściwy dla siebie poziom. - Po porażce w Dosze starałam się powrócić do zdrowia i nie były to dla mnie łatwe tygodnie. Potrzebuję jeszcze trochę czasu. To oczywiście bardzo frustrujące, gdy przegrywa się mecze, na które się przygotowuje i chce się wygrać, ale to część całego procesu. Zdaję sobie z tego sprawę - zakończyła była liderka rankingu WTA, którą teraz czeka występ w Miami.
Maria Szarapowa nie zagra w Miami. Problemy zdrowotne Rosjanki
Spoiler:
Maria Szarapowa ogłosiła, że nie weźmie udziału w turnieju WTA Premier Mandatory na kortach twardych w Miami. Rosyjska tenisistka ciągle narzeka na uraz lewego przedramienia.
- Jest mi bardzo przykro, że z powodu kontuzji lewego przedramienia muszę wycofać się z jednego z moich ulubionych turniejów. Czynię wszystko, co możliwe, aby jak najszybciej powrócić do touru - powiedziała Maria Szarapowa w specjalnym komunikacie przesłanym do organizatorów Miami Open.
Pięciokrotna mistrzyni wielkoszlemowa narzeka na uraz lewej ręki już od jakiegoś czasu. Z tego powodu musiała wycofać się z zawodów WTA Premier rozgrywanych w lutym w Dubaju. Rosjanka powróciła do rywalizacji w Indian Wells, gdzie w I rundzie lepsza od niej była Japonka Naomi Osaka. Po tej porażce zdecydowała się zakończyć współpracę z trenerem Svenem Gröneveldem.
Szarapowa chce powrócić do rywalizacji w Stuttgarcie, gdzie w zeszłym roku rozegrała pierwszy turniej po 15-miesięcznej dyskwalifikacji za stosowanie meldonium. Jej miejsce w Miami zajmie Amerykanka Jennifer Brady. Losowanie głównej drabinki singla kobiet zaplanowano na niedzielne popołudnie czasu lokalnego.