Maria Sharapova wins Italian Open crown in Rome

Maria Sharapova recovered from a set and 4-0 down to beat Li Na and retain her Italian Open crown in Rome. At 6-6 in the third and final set, the match was interrupted for more than two hours by rain, but Sharapova returned to win the decisive tie-break. The 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-5) win over the French Open champion gave the Russian her 26th career title. Sharapova now heads to Roland Garros looking for the title that would complete a career Grand Slam.

Maria Sharapova's seven-year wait to wimbledon 2011final

Seven years after a surprise victory at Wimbledon at age 17, Maria Sharapova is back in the final, this time as a three-time winner in grand slams and the heavy favourite on Saturday.

Petra Kvitova is preparing for her first slam final. The 21-year-old Czech might be dreaming of a debut like that of her Russian rival, who overpowered the top-seeded Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4 in 2004 to establish herself as a precocious star of the women's game.

The seven-year gap between Wimbledon finals might surprise some, but it is not something that troubles Sharapova.

"You obviously hope that you can be in the final stages every single year, but I guess it's just not meant to happen," she said yesterday. This is the year I'm supposed to be back in the final. I don't know why. I'm not going to question it."

Since 2004, Sharapova has added the 2006 US Open and the 2008 Australian Open titles.

She also has recovered from shoulder surgery in October 2008 that took her off the singles court for nearly 10 months and necessitated a change in her service motion when she returned to action.

Her first slam final since the surgery is the sort of moment Sharapova visualised while nursing her shoulder back to health.

"I had time to reflect on my career and things that I've achieved," she said.

"But I think I was always looking towards the future more than anything than in the past because that's where I was trying to envision myself at some point, to be getting back out there."

Looking back to the 2004 final, Sharapova said she spent the day trying to recover from illness.

As she looked ahead to the biggest match of her career, Kvitova dismissed talk of nerves.

"No, I'm not nervous," she said. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow, for sure. I slept well. It's OK."

If Kvitova can hold her nerve, the final could come down to her serve. The left-handed Kvitova has hit 35 aces in her six matches so far and it was her serve that was a determining factor in her semi-final win over the fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka.

Sharapova managed to beat Sabine Lisicki despite 13 double faults and a first-serve percentage of 48.

Martina Navratilova, the last left-handed women's champion at Wimbledon, in 1990, said Kvitova "matches up well" against Sharapova.

"It's such a toss-up. It basically comes down to who serves better," Navratilova said. "Once the ball is in play, Sharapova has an edge with Petra. I think Petra will return better [than did Lisicki] and it will be easier for her to hold serve."

Kvitova has described the nine-time Wimbledon winner Navratilova as her idol.

"She's very sweet," Navratilova said. "It's funny because I haven't had that many players that said, 'You're my hero.' It's nice. I thought she was too young for that."

Kvitova had not won a match on grass before her run to the semifinals at the All England Club last year where she was beaten by Serena Williams.

Since then, she has won three WTA Tour titles and surged into the top 10.

She trained at the same club in the city of Prostejov as 2010 Wimbledon men's finalist Tomas Berdych. Martina Hingis, the 1997 women's champion, also practised there.

Kvitova said her parents are flying over from Prostejov to watch her attempt to become the first Czech woman to win Wimbledon since Jana Novotna in 1998.

Sharapova will again be supported by her fiance, the New Jersey Nets basketball player Sasha Vujacic, who has been at the championships throughout.

Seven years on from her 2004 victory, when she played like a carefree teenager, the 24-year-old Sharapova will go into the final with a far more nuanced perspective.

"I'm a few years older, more mature. I hope so at least," she said, smiling.

"You develop, not only as a player, but as a person as well.

"Obviously, a big part of my life is tennis, but at the end of the day I'm not going to be playing for my whole life. Next page

Sharapova's off day good enough for final return

Maria Sharapova, the glamour girl of women's tennis, showed she is not averse to winning ugly as she overcame some jitters to set up a Wimbledon final against Petra Kvitova on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Russian served 13 double faults on her way to a 6-4 6-3 defeat of Germany's Sabine Lisicki to reach the final for the first time since she burst into the spotlight by winning the 2004 title as a carefree 17-year-old.

Eighth seed Kvitova silenced the wailing Victoria Azarenka 6-1 3-6 6-2 to reach her first grand slam final.

Neither match will live long in the memory though after a day that did little to alter the perception that the women's game is struggling without the rivalries that have fuelled interest in the men's game.

Not that Sharapova was too concerned.

"It's a great feeling. It's been many years, but it's a really great feeling," said Sharapova, who has filled the vacuum left by the fourth-round exits of champion Serena Williams, five-times winner Venus Williams and top seed Caroline Wozniacki.

"Today wasn't my best match of the championships so I was real happy to get through in two sets. So yeah, it's pretty amazing to be back on that stage."

Czech Kvitova and Belarussian fourth seed Azarenka thrashed around for an hour and 44 minutes on the hallowed turf but their "heavy metal" variety of tennis hardly captivated a Centre Court liberally sprinkled with empty green seats.

The famous arena was still not full either when Sharapova, the only genuine A-lister to survive until the semis, strode out under cloudy skies to take on wildcard Lisicki.

For three games the fifth seed could hardly get the ball in court, struggling on serve, lashing forehands into the net and shooting panicky glances to fiance Sasha Vujacic as he tried his best to offer encouragement from the players' box.

She improved steadily but her progress to the final was helped by an opponent whose belief drained away as quickly as Sharapova ramped up the volume on the "grunt-o-meter".

When the ninth service break ended the contest, the long-limbed Russian blew kisses to all four stands and added an extra one for her boyfriend before aiming another at the sky in gratitude for the looming rain clouds staying away.

After storming through the draw without losing a set to reach her first grand slam final since her career was threatened by shoulder surgery in 2008, Sharapova will be odds-on favourite to collect her fourth major title.

"But the next match starts from scratch. Everything that kind of went before, that doesn't really matter," said the Florida-based Russian, who gets to enjoy a few of the perks of being a member of the All England Club.

Azarenka's defeat will at least help keep the volume down on Saturday as left-handed Kvitova is relatively quiet when she smites the ball over the net.

The Belarussian, whose sound effects again brought giggles from the crowd, was briefly drowned out by an alarm blaring across Centre Court at one point of the match but it was Kvitova's accuracy that was the real danger.

The first set whizzed by in 27 minutes with hardly a rally to speak of but Azarenka got a foothold with an early break in the second and went on to level the contest.

With similar playing styles, both smashing the felt off the ball from the baseline, there was a muted atmosphere in the stands as Kvitova pulled away again in the decider.

Kvitova completed victory on her second match point when Azarenka served a double fault.

"I think it was a nervous match for sure," Kvitova, the first left-hander to reach the women's final since Czech-born American Martina Navratilova in 1994, told reporters.

"It was tough mentally but it's something unbelievable to be in the final at Wimbledon."

Andy Murray's quest to become the first British man to win Wimbledon for 75 years takes centre stage on Friday when he takes on world number one and holder Rafa Nadal in the men's semis after Novak Djokovic plays Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Wimbledon tennis championships 2011 in London - Female stars

Wimbledon tennis championships 2011 in London - Female stars







Tennis Fashion

Rafa Nadal and Maria Sharapova storm into second week of Wimbledon

Reigning champion Rafa Nadal was in miserly mood as he reached the business end of Wimbledon on Saturday with a 7-6 7-6 6-0 third-round victory over Luxembourg's Gilles Muller. The top seed returned to Court One a set to the good after rain had interrupted his progress on Friday and after some dogged resistance from wildcard Muller, the last man to beat him here other than Roger Federer, Nadal roared through.

Nadal, who committed just three unforced errors in the match, faces a real test in the last 16 where 2009 US champion Juan Martin del Potro awaits after the Argentine completed victory over Frenchman Gilles Simon. Sixth seed Tomas Berdych, the man Nadal beat to claim his second Wimbledon crown last year, is looking a threat again after an easy third round win over Alex Bogomolov Jr., a result that left Mardy Fish as the sole American survivor in the men's draw at the halfway stage.

Maria Sharapova, the 2004 women's champion, took her customary place in the second week as the fifth seed overpowered Czech Klara Zakopalova 6-2 6-3 after the Russian was given a noon appointment on Court Two. The scheduling of the top women's players on what is the club's third court has been a bone of contention this week after defending champion Serena Williams, five-times winner Venus Williams and world number one Caroline Wozniacki have all made their way across the ground to the eye-catching bowl.

Wozniacki was up-graded to Centre Court on Saturday as the expected sunshine and higher temperatures took a while to materialise and the Dane maintained her trouble-free start with a 6-3 6-2 defeat of 27th seed Jarmila Gajdosova.

The 13-times grand slam singles champion Serena Williams took to Centre Court bidding to continue her impressive comeback from 11 months out with a third-round match against Russian Maria Kirilenko.

Former world number one Ana Ivanovic was sent packing by Czech Petra Cetkovska 6-2 7-6, failing to win a point in the tiebreak.

Nadal complained of a slight thigh injury after dispatching Muller, the result of a slip on Friday when he was required to save two set points, but there was little evidence of any chinks in his armour as he surged into the last 16. "I think I played solid mentally, and in the tiebreak I served all my points with the first serve," Nadal told reporters. "When I had the chance to return, I won the point."

"The third set, two sets to love, I am able to play with less pressure. I started to return unbelievable and to play at very high level." Left-handed Muller, a player with a pleasing array of strokes and dangerous serve, has never really fulfilled his potential since his 2005 victory over Nadal but he dug in to keep his opponent on his toes. He traded blows with the 2 year-old Mallorcan in the second set was still a threat until 5-5 in the tiebreak when one mistake cost him dear.

Nadal put Muller to the sword in the third set and immediately turned his attention to Del Potro. "I'm not lucky to play against Del Potro in the round of 16," Nadal said. "But that's what it is, and I have to be playing my best tennis to try to win." The other two members of the Big Four, six-times champion Roger Federer and second seed Novak Djokovic, aim to join Nadal and British hope Andy Murray, in the last 16 later on Saturday.

Sharapova starts with a bang at Wimbledon

Former champion Maria Sharapova made a fluent start to her Wimbledon campaign with a 6-2 6-1 win over fellow Russian Anna Chakvetadze in the first round on Tuesday.

The fifth seed and former world number one again showed the form which brought her this year's Italian Open title, fuelling the belief that she can repeat her stunning grasscourt run of 2004 when she beat Serena Williams in the final.

Still only 24, Sharapova is enjoying a new lease of life after the shoulder problems that played havoc with her once potent serve and sent her tumbling down the rankings
While she admits she does not lay awake at night wondering if she will add to her three grand slam titles, she says knowing what it feels like to win at Wimbledon keeps the desire burning.

"Of course it's important," Sharapova, one of only three women in the draw to have lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish, told reporters. "It would be a wonderful achievement.

"But I'm really happy to be playing something that I really love. I don't look ahead and think how amazing it would be to hold the trophy.

"Obviously I'm very fortunate to have had that feeling before and knowing how good that feeling is. That's what drives you deep down inside."

Sharapova never allowed former world number five Chakvetadze to settle and used her booming groundstrokes to devastating effect throughout a 68-minute contest that was a late addition to the Centre Court programme.

Chakvetadze, a quarter-finalist at three of the four grand slams, has managed just three main draw wins all year as she battled health problems and her fragile confidence seeped away after Sharapova broke serve in the third game.

From then on it was one-way traffic as Sharapova booked a second round match against either British wildcard Laura Robson or Germany's Angelique Kerber.

Their first round encounter was one of several postponed on Tuesday as organisers cleared a backlog caused by Monday's rain.

Melanie Oudin gives U.S. tennis a big hope for the future

Melanie Oudin ran out of Russians to play and lost.

Beating a Danish 19-year-old who is closer to her age group was always going to be a different task and, as it turned out, a more difficult one.

To the disappointment of the vast crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium and everyone down there in Marietta, Ga., Oudin's fantastic run at this year's U.S. Open came to a fairly abrupt end Wednesday night at the hands of No. 9 seed Caroline Wozniacki, who employed just the right kind of tactics to beat the 17-year-old starlet 6-2, 6-2.

"I knew she was going to be tough and I knew she was going to fight to the last point," said Wozniacki afterwards. "So I was like, I have to get as many balls back as possible and try to make her run. Keep her on her backhand and make her run on her forehand. That was my goal and I think it was a good way to play the match today."

Unfortunately for Oudin — the feisty teen with the word "BELIEVE" stamped across the heel of her shoe — Wozniacki was absolutely right. Moreso than those three famous Russians that Oudin had outfought from a set down, the Dane had the perfect game to outplay an opponent who, unsurprisingly, didn't move with quite the same alacrity as she had done in her previous encounters.

"I think I started off slow," Oudin admitted. "I wasn't able to come back. She's such a strong player. She doesn't give you anything for free. She plays incredible defense. Makes me hit a thousand balls so I don't know what else I could have done."

Oudin admitted that, being a perfectionist, losing was a disappointment. But she is a bright, level-headed girl and added, "The whole experience here is going to take me a long way, I think. I've gained a lot of confidence and I think I can only get better. I've played with top 10, former No. 1 players in this tournament and I've been able to do well. I mean, I got to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, so I know that hopefully I can do it again and again."


There is no reason why not because Oudin has the mind for the game — a maturity to stay calm, focused and determined in the heat of battle that is rare in one so young. She has been the story of the championships and women's tennis in America is a lot healthier after what she has achieved.

Another great story on the women's side

The WTA will be delighted with the way in which new, attractive stars have burst through to grab headlines at this U.S. Open. Oudin and Wozniacki are not the only ones. The other quarterfinal pitted Yanina Wickmayer from Belgium against the Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko, and it was the tall, powerful Wickmayer who came through 7-5, 6-4.

Ranked just two places higher than Bondarenko at No. 50 coming into the tournament, the 19-year-old Wickmayer made that gap look a little too small as she took charge of the match from the start with solid serving and backcourt hitting.

"She didn't give me any chance to win it," Bondarenko said. "She just played unbelievable today."

Like Maria Sharapova, Wickmayer was taken to Florida by her father at the age of 9 but the circumstances were rather different. Yanina's mother had just died of cancer and, wanting to get away and concentrate on the game she loved, she settled at Saddlebrook Tennis Academy.

"I guess I just decided as a little girl to get away from home and put my memories and thoughts to something else," she said. "To focus on other things in life and try to move on. ... It's been a really tough time for me but I see now it's one of the best decisions I've ever made."

It appears that it was very much Yanina's wish to try the Florida experiment, and her father went along with it just to try and bring some happiness into his daughter's life.

"He was just a normal guy in Belgium and he just gave up his whole life for me," Wickmayer said. "He listened to a little girl who was 9 years old and gave up his life, his dreams. I guess I'm always going to respect him for that. He's just a great guy."

You think he's a proud Dad, or what?

Federer-Djokovic clash set

In the first of the day's men's quarterfinals, Novak Djokovic had to hang tough before finally getting the better of that talented Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco, winning 7-6, 1-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Djokovic seems at ease again in New York this year, following his strained relationship with the crowd 12 months ago, and thoroughly enjoyed his little hit with John McEnroe after his victory over Radek Stepanek in the previous round.

"It feels like 2007, you know, when I played finals here and did all those crazy things, impersonating players," he said. "So it was really a lot of enjoyment playing with McEnroe the other night. You know, it was unexpected. I promise it wasn't planned. It just came out. It was good."

Even better is the fact that Djokovic, who knows what it is like to live in a city that is being attacked, has been hosting the children of 9/11 victims in his box. He hasn't publicized it but was asked to verify the fact in press conference.

"I don't really want to talk about it," he said. "I've been meeting four different guys in these past two weeks. I have been giving them presents. ... I know what it feels like so I just try to bring some smiles and make them enjoy. I hope that's what I did."

After he had lost to Roger Federer for the 11th straight time in the final of the French Open in June, Robin Soderling was very honest about the problems he has with the great Swiss.

"I can't play him," he said simply. "He plays too fast for me. I can never get into the match."

That seemed to be holding true as Federer raced away to a 6-0, 6-3 lead and then went 4-0 up in the third-set tiebreak. But suddenly, Soderling found the extra gear and decided to go for everything. A couple of great forehand winners, backed up by some great serves, enabled the big Swede to claw his way back and take that breaker 8-6 and then push Federer all the way into another one.

The reigning champion needed consecutive aces to keep level with a suddenly rampant opponent, but when he reached set point at 6-5, nerves clutched at Soderling's arm and he hit a forehand wide. A backhand error cost him on the next point and Federer closed it out, again at 8-6.

The victory extends Federer's astonishing run in Grand Slams to 22 consecutive semi-final appearances or better. He thinks it is one of his greatest achievements and his peers will agree. When other players talk about it, they just shake their heads in disbelief.

The Day After: Oudin a Celebrity in Times Square

Melanie Oudin visited Times Square on Sunday a day after upsetting Maria Sharapova

Melanie Oudin stepped out of a United Sates Open van in Times Square on Sunday morning and got a glimpse of the future: She is a celebrity.

At first, Oudin, the 17-year-old from Marietta, Ga, who defeated Maria Sharapova on Saturday, looked a bit startled. She tugged at strands of her hair and seemed to blanch at the prospect of being recognized.

Photographers (alerted by women’s tennis tour officials) crowded around to snap her picture with a tennis racket. Bystanders smiled and pointed cameras and cellphones. “She beat Sharapova,” said a pedestrian to his companions.

A caterer had delivered a cake that said “NYC Loves Oudin Believe!” (Believe is her mantra). She stood beside the confection for more picture taking.

It all happened pretty much wordlessly — until she was asked the inevitable question: “How do you feel?”

“Excited,” she said, smiling and stepping back into the van before it pulled away to return to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Sharapova brushes aside Petrova

Maria Sharapova thrashed fifth seed and world number 10 Nadia Petrova to reach the quarter-finals of the Bank of the West Classic in California.

The three-time Grand Slam champion is continuing her comeback, having returned in May after nine months out because of shoulder surgery last year.

And the 22-year-old Russian hammered compatriot Petrova 6-1 6-2 in Stanford.

There were also wins for third seed Elena Dementieva, Daniela Hantuchova and Samantha Stosur.

Dementieva swept past fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-1 6-2, the unseeded Hantuchova upset seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 4-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-1, and Australian Stosur beat Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-1 7-5.

Sharapova, ranked 62nd, was playing just her 17th match since returning from injury and enjoyed her second win in that time over Petrova, having also won their second-round encounter at the French Open.

"I knew what I had to improve upon," said Sharapova, who beat Japan's Ai Sugiyama in the first round in Stanford. "I started that first match lousy. This time the goal was to get a better start.

"I was aggressive the whole way through. I didn't have many letdowns and even when I made unforced errors I stayed with it."

Sharapova will next play the winner of the match between Venus Williams and Alla Kudryavtseva of Russia, and the former world number one would relish the chance to face Williams.

"Its always great to come back and play someone who's at the top of the game and playing pretty well. I always relish playing the top players," she said. "I'd love to play against her."

Martina Hingis - The Youngest-ever junior grand slam winner at French Open

The tennis world was shocked at the end of 2002 when Martina Hingis announced she was taking an extended break from the game, explaining that she needed time for her mind and body to heal after suffering from an ankle injury. The five-time grand slam winner was still only 22.

Hingis’ tennis career had started early - her mother Melanie first putting a racket in her daughter’s hand when she was three. With Melanie’s encouragement, the young Martina progressed at a remarkable rate. She set a series of youngest-ever records in the junior game before turning professional two weeks after her 14th birthday. Hingis then began her assault on the senior game.

In January 1997, Hingis became the youngest player to win a grand slam singles title. In March she was the youngest to reach number one, and in July she became the youngest Wimbledon singles champion. Before she’d even turned 17, Hingis had won three of the year’s grand slam tennis titles and reached the final in the fourth.

Hingis continued to blaze a trail in women’s tennis, winning the Australian Open in 1998 and 1999 and holding the number one ranking for 209 weeks.

Hingis first underwent surgery on her right ankle in October 2001. Seven months later she needed a similar operation on her left ankle but fought her way back to reach the 2002 Australian Open final.

It looked as if the career of one of the most talented players the game had known was over. But after spending several years away from the game riding, skiing, and studying, Hingis announced her comeback in November 2005.

Many people thought that the arrival of more powerful women players on the tour would make it hard for Hingis to compete at the top. They didn’t reckon on the smart, determined and more relaxed player that Hingis had become. In her first season back, she made it back into the top 10 by beating the likes of Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova.



Personal details

Date of birth: 30 September 1980

Place of birth: Kosice, Slovakia

Height: 1.70

Weight: 59kg


Honours and achievements

WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Polio Eradication

2008: Retired from international competition

2007: Wins 43rd career singles

2006: Makes grand slam comeback at Australian Open

2002: Struggles to recover from ankle operation and announces retirement

Youngest woman ever to be ranked number 1 and holds rank for 209 weeks

Won Australian Open singles in 1998 and 1999

Won Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open in 1997

1993: Youngest-ever junior grand slam winner at French Open (aged 12)

Maria Sharapova - Photo