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Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Semifinal ]

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Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Semifinal

Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Semi Final

Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Semi Final

Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Semi Final

Australian Open Semi-Final Interview Q. Your emotions at the end of the match seemed to show that this just meant a fair bit to you, this opportunity. MARIA SHARAPOVA: Absolutely. It means so much to be back in a Grand Slam final, a stage I have been to before few years ago here. It's nice to get that far again after losing quite early in the last couple of years. So, yeah, it means a lot to me. I played someone that's just had really great results and has beaten me the last couple of times. I just really wanted it today. Yeah, I fought to the last point. You know, she had so many opportunities in that third set, and I just hung on and just really went for it. Q. That last win here seems a long time ago. How different are you from now till then? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Um, yeah, it's a few years ago. I don't know. Every year is different. Just in terms of obviously you grow a little bit older, you know, a lot of things in your life happen. But at the end of the day, to get back at that stage is special. Q. How daunting will be it be for Azarenka going into her first Grand Slam final. How do you think she will be feeling? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, I played Petra in her first Grand Slam final. She played really highquality tennis out there on the grass, and, you know, she went out there and it didn't really affect her. So, you know, even though Victoria hasn't really been in that stage of a Grand Slam before, she's certainly won big titles and she has the experience. This is a stage she's wanted to be at for a long time, so I do expect her to play really good tennis. Q. What do you think is different today compared to that Wimbledon final? What do you think you did better? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, in the first set I felt like my pace hurt her a bit. I was just really aggressive. I didn't give her a chance to really step in and do what she does really well. You know, it was really  it's always, you know, against an opponent where you have kind of similar games where we're both very aggressive players and pretty powerful shots, you know, if she's dictating from the start and I'm always in the defense, and points are usually going to go her way. I try to take that away from her. In the second set it was one break and I couldn't get it back. Obviously she was up a break in the third. I managed to get it back. Just hung on. There were so many games where it was 1540, Love30 on my serve, and actually on those points hit some pretty big serves, and then, you know, in the last game made some returns, you know; whereas in the whole third set she was serving quite well. I didn't feel like I had too many good looks on returns. In the third set, that last game of the third, I really managed to get some returns back. Q. That challenge you made at 4All in the third it was Love30, would have been Love40 how sure were you of that call, and how much of a turning point do you think that was? Seemed the momentum totally changed in the end after that. MARIA SHARAPOVA: You never really know until you challenge and you just see on the screen. Um, yeah, sometimes you feel like it was in by a mile, and you look at the challenge and just embarrassing that you even asked for the call. (Smiling). But I did feel like that one was very close, and it was right on the line. So, yeah, it's obviously an important point. Q. Did that change momentum? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Um, yeah, but it was still  you know, it's not like I got that point. It was still Love30, so you had to play that point over and still try to win the game from Love30. Q. You had some trouble with your serve. You had the 10 double faults and everything. What was going on there? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Um, I did, but I felt like in the important moments I had some really good serves. And like I said, in the games where I was down Love30 and 1540, I hit some really good second serves. I think she wanted to step in and maybe go for it, and I was smart about that. Yeah, so in the end obviously would like to see that number lower. But when you're playing, you know, an opponent that has a really good return, sometimes you go for it a little bit more. If you end up missing some, sometimes it can help you. Because if you hit pretty slow first serves just to get them in or second serves, your opponent is going to take advantage of that. Q. You won a title so early in your career. Do you get the sense you can appreciate the opportunity a little bit more now? MARIA SHARAPOVA: I do. This is obviously what I train for and why I go out on the court and try to improve for moments like this. You have them four times a year, and these are the big ones for us, the important ones. It's really where you kinda have to find a way to win and step up when it really matters. You know, today was just a good example of that for me. I felt like I was down and out. There are times where, you know, I felt like she was just returning too good. I just kept going for it. Q. Has it been frustrating at times to not get back to that Grand Slam title after having that success earlier? MARIA SHARAPOVA: It's the way my career path has gone, and I don't regret anything that has happened. Obviously it would have been nice not to have a serious injury at 21 years old, but sometimes it's just the way things go. Good thing is that I found a way to come back. Q. Did you ever consider you wouldn't get back to your best? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Um, I mean, as positive as I always try to be, you always question what you're doing, obviously, because sometimes things work out and sometimes they don't. And especially just with the shoulder I think it was I knew some examples of some people that did not quite recover from surgery and that was a little frightening, but I really had no option. So it was either give it a go or not do anything about it. Of course it took a long time and it was a process, but it was just something that was in my steps that I had to go through. And I did. Q. Do you feel better than ever now? MARIA SHARAPOVA: I feel happy and excited that I still have a chance to play the sport and play it at this level and be in a Grand Slam final. Q. How long did it actually take you to find a serve that you were comfortable with once you came back to the game? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, when I came back I had to start with a different motion because, I mean, I wanted to come back so early. I couldn't quite come back as early as I wanted to. It came to a point where if you don't want to hurt things, then, you know, maybe you have to make some adjustments. That was probably a tough adjustment, because even though I changed motions many times in my career, I had to really go to a really different one which was very short and very compact. I was not used to that because I have long arms and I'm just used to kind of longer things and longer swings. But I had to do that in the beginning, and that was the toughest thing, yeah. Q. Victoria has beaten you in two finals before? MARIA SHARAPOVA: I mean, she's a really, really good player, and like you said, I haven't had great success against her in the last couple of events that we've played against each other. I'd really like to change that. Yeah, it will be important to tactically play right. You know, she makes you hit a lot of balls and she's aggressive, as well. But, yeah, it's the final, so... Q. So is there a really aggressive mindset that you need, too? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah. If I'm playing well, that's usually kind of how my game is. If I'm playing defensive or on the defense, then my chances are pretty bad. Q. Is it tough to play an opponent that has such a similar game to you? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Um, today or in general? Q. Well, Victoria I think might have a more similar game to you than Petra does. MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, but everyone is different, and I guess that's why we play against each other. I don't think two players are the same. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. But, yeah, I don't think it really matters. Q. This is going to be a headtohead battle for No. 1 ranking. Does that add anything to it, do you think? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Um, having been in the position before, doesn't really to me. I think personally, for me, it's more about the Grand Slam win than the No. 1 ranking. That's just always been the goal for me.

Sharapova Edges Kvitova For Final Spot There was a time when a then 21-year-old Maria Sharapova, already a three-time Grand Slam champion, thought her tennis career was over due to a serious right shoulder injury. Now she

Australian Open Quarter-Final Interview Q. Pretty commanding performance? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, it was solid today. You know, I thought she was going to play really well today coming off a big win, probably her biggest in her career. It was just really important for me to not give her much of a look at the open court. You know, I just really wanted to take advantage of my game and improve from the previous match. I think I stepped up when I had to. Q. A bit of impatience and excitement to put it away at the end? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Of course. It's a big stage. I played well throughout the match. Obviously it went back and forth. She got a lot of balls back. But it was great to finish it. Q. How do you feel going up against Kvitova in the next match? MARIA SHARAPOVA: It will certainly be tough. I've lost to her the last couple of times ‑ obviously the big one in Wimbledon where she played really well. I think she's the one to beat right now, playing the best tennis in her career. Coming off of so many wins last year, I'm looking forward to the matchup. I don't like losing so many times in a row. So I'll certainly be going out there and trying to play my best. Q. Out of that Wimbledon final, what do you take from that? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, she played quite deep and hard, served extremely well. The chances that I had, she just came up with better shots in that match. She was certainly the better player. Yeah, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow and see how that goes. Q. I guess before playing your match you didn't have the time to watch the other match. Did you see little pieces of that and what was your impression of both Errani and Kvitova in that match? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I did get a chance to watch a little bit. Very different styles of play. Errani is someone that moves extremely well, gets a lot of balls back, mixes up the pace, whereas I think Petra kind of dominates more with her pace. I think in the end that's what hurt her opponent today. Yeah, she obviously played the better match today. Q. How is your fitness? Do you feel confident in your body, being able to get around the court? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, good. I came in here without any matches. Taking some extra time to just practice, get physically a hundred percent. So I think that was really important for me. But obviously when you do that, you also take the chance of coming in a little bit rusty, not knowing how things will go, where your game is. But I'm very happy to be at this stage. Q. Roger Federer said yesterday he was quite surprised to see how intense the women are during their matches, a lot of fist pumping. You've always done a bit of that. Do you sense that the women are expressing themselves a bit more or is that an indication of how competitive it is at the moment? MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think I can only speak for myself in terms of how I feel on the court. I've always been a big competitor. I treat every opponent with respect. I know my opponent can play good tennis. So I try to be tough with every point that comes, no matter if it's easy or hard. I certainly fight, give it my all till the end, yeah. Q. What is your reaction to the fact that Errani is only 10 days younger than you and they say is a newcomer, and you're not a newcomer? They almost call you a veteran. Two different ways to be 24 years old. How do you see it? MARIA SHARAPOVA: I always say that everyone achieves different things at different times in their career. Everyone has a different path to their success. Everyone has a different path in their careers. Not one person is the same. Everyone is different. Some people start playing tennis later. Some become professional later. Some play juniors, some don't. I mean, it doesn't really matter. I think it's maybe more of a story in a way. I mean, I personally have taken the only route I've known, and I guess everyone else has their own ways of developing and achieving this and that in different ages, yeah. Q. I remember a few years ago you said you didn't see yourself able to play until 30 years old or so. Have you changed your mind? MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't think I ever said 30. I think when I was 18, I probably would have said 25 (laughter). But things change. Yeah, I'm sure when I was 17 years old and someone said, You'll be playing for another eight years, it would be like, Yeah, really, you're not going to see me at a press conference at 25 years old. But years go on. I missed a year in my career. I didn't play that year. I've said this, just before the tournament, a few weeks before, I woke up and I was jut so happy to be going back on the court. I felt so fresh, full of energy, just with a really good perspective. Times change, obviously. I see myself playing this sport for many more years because it's something that gives me the most pleasure in my life. I think it helps when you know you're good at something, and you can always improve it. It obviously helps with the encouragement. Q. Jimmy Connors stopped at 40 years old? MARIA SHARAPOVA: I can guarantee right now you're not going to see me here at 40 years old. If I'm here at 40 years old, I have major problems (laughter). Oh, goodness. Q. Physically how do you feel compared to Wimbledon coming into this match against Petra? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, we're playing on a different court. Obviously, the grass is different. The ball stays a lot lower. Here the conditions are a lot slower than a grass court. Very difficult to compare. The points are a lot quicker on a grass court than they would be. I'm sure even if you're playing the same opponent, they're going to be a bit longer here than on grass. It's tough to compare physically how you feel. But movement‑wise I feel really good. Q. A bunch of players this week have made comments talking about how they think the noise that you and Azarenka in particular make is excessive? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Who? Q. Radwanska was one player that said she thinks the noise you and Azarenka make is excessive and she'd like to see the WTA change the rules to prohibit that? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Isn't she back in Poland already? Q. Yes. MARIA SHARAPOVA: When did she get a chance to say that? Q. After she lost her quarterfinal. MARIA SHARAPOVA: She lost the match? Q. Yes. MARIA SHARAPOVA: You've sure obviously asked me this question before. I've heard it a few times over my career. You've watched me grow up, you've watched me play tennis. I've been the same over the course of my career. No one important enough has told me to change or do something different. I've answered it many times before. I'm sure I'll answer it many more times ahead. I'm okay with that. Q. If there was a rule change, how do you think it would affect you if you had to stop? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Right now there is no rule change. I don't hear that there will be one, so it doesn't really matter what my answer would be, would it? Q. With the No. 1 spot up for grabs this week, how much of a motivation is that for you? MARIA SHARAPOVA: It is. But I think I've been fortunate enough to be in that position before. I think the girls that are trying to get that position haven't been in that position before. It's a little bit different because I feel like I've experienced both things in my career: winning Grand Slams and being No. 1 in the world. You can't compare the two. I try to improve in order to win Grand Slams. That's my goal. The more Grand Slams you win, the better your ranking is going to be, yeah.

A study in concentration.

Sharapova Runs Over Makarova Ekaterina Makarova of Russia hits a backhand during her quarter-final against Maria Sharapova of Russia, Day 10, 25 January 2012. Getty Images Distance is everything in tennis. Whether a ball is in or out, short or long, wide or on the line. It's the difference between winning and losing. And for Maria Sharapova, a player who has always kept her distance, she now finds herself within reach of a fourth Grand Slam title Thanks to a comprehensive 6-2 6-3 win over countrywoman Ekaterina Makarova, Sharapova is now just two games from winning her second Australian Open title and reclaiming the No.1 spot, a position she hasn't been in since June 2008. Feeling fresh after the off-season and with her ankle problems seemingly behind her, Sharapova says she's as motivated as ever. "I've said this, just before the tournament, a few weeks before, I woke up and I was jut so happy to be going back on the court. I felt so fresh, full of energy, just with a really good perspective. "I see myself playing this sport for many more years because it's something that gives me the most pleasure in my life. I think it helps when you know you're good at something, and you can always improve it. It obviously helps with the encouragement." Today's victory was tennis's equivalent of a warning shot, especially for Petra Kvitova who Sharapova will play in the semifinals on Thursday. For world No.56 Makarova, it was a disappointing come down following her upset win over five-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams in the fourth round. "I think I played my [best] tennis against Serena. Maybe Serena wasn't that good on that day," said a disappointed Makarova. "But today, yeah, sometimes of course I missed some balls. But Maria was great today … so aggressive. Maybe I couldn't show my best tennis because she all the time pushing me." Sharapova's serve, which has not been the ace up her sleeve that it was pre-shoulder surgery in 2008, was as good as it's been all tournament. But it was the 24-year-old's return of serve that gave her an undeniable edge over her opponent. She broke the Makarova serve, a slightly inferior product based on today's showing that she needs to improve on if she's to break into the top 20, four times, compared with Makarova's single break. "It was solid today. You know, I thought she was going to play really well today coming off a big win, probably her biggest in her career. It was just really important for me to not give her much of a look at the open court," said Sharapova after the win. "I just really wanted to take advantage of my game and improve from the previous match. I think I stepped up when I had to." To be fair to Makarova, the 87-minute match was closer than the 6-2 6-3 scoreline suggests. Several games went to deuce, largely thanks to Makarova's persistence and retrieval skills. The 23-year-old Russian chased down several balls that seemed destined to be winners, forcing Sharapova into error as she would have to hit closer to the lines to close out points. But it was Makarova's ability to launch counter-attacks that was impressive. Her ranking will rise off the back of her efforts here – she made it to the fourth round at Australian Open 2011 – and will continue to improve throughout the year. She has been as high as No.29 (June 2011) and is certainly much better than her current ranking of No.56 indicates. The lowest ranked player to make it to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open this year, Makarova is confident that there are more good times ahead. "I wish to be in top 20. I will try to work hard. I really want to be there. While for Sharapova, ever the professional, all thoughts of trophies and the No.1 ranking are a million miles away, lest they distract her from her main focus – self improvement. "I try to improve in order to win Grand Slams. That's my goal. The more Grand Slams you win, the better your ranking is going to be." And if she can find a way past the current world No.2, the distance between herself and her fourth Grand Slam title won't be far at all.

Australian Open 4th Round Interview Q. You're obviously happy to advance in the tournament, but how happy were you with your game tonight? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, the first three games were good, then it went south for a bit, and then I got it together in the second. The third was a battle. No doubt, she played some really good tennis. I think the level was pretty high. You know, she had some opportunities and some breakpoints. You know, I came up with a good couple of second serves, you know, won that game, and felt pretty confident after that. Yeah, obviously a few ups and down, but really happy to be through and a step further than last year. Q. What part of her game gave you the most trouble tonight? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, she's a really solid player. She has a big game. Big weapons. Serves really well. You know, started returning well, but that wasn't working for me. Got that back. But, you know, returning's obviously really important against her. Q. How much do you think your experience counted out there tonight? MARIA SHARAPOVA: In the match, during the match, you don't really think about it. You're really in the battle. So you don't think about how much experience you have compared to her. I've been in those situations before many times. It's more about trying to carry the momentum, you know, in the situation, in the match, after winning the second set and hoping to continue that and improving the level, not worrying so much about experience. Q. Must be hard to get a read on her game because she's slapping at the ball pretty hard the whole time? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah. Q. Did you think just in the second set to play more rally balls, but in a sense you have to dictate, too, because if you don't she's going to clock a winner from anywhere? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, if you played her strengths, if you give her time, I mean, that's what she really does best: she gets a good strike on the ball and can hit a good winner from, you know, any side of the court. But if she can do that for three hours straight, I mean, at the end of the match you end up losing and that's just too good. But obviously I was trying to create those opportunities where, you know, maybe she had to go for a little bit more and force the errors out of her. Q. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but movement‑wise you're looking pretty good out there. You got balls back with something on them? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Thank you. Q. Just talk about that, because that's not a part of your game that's discussed very often? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, it's a part of my game that I constantly work on, being quick, working on the physical part. It's one of the most important things in the game because it has become a lot more physical and much more demanding on the body. Also in the last few years I'm stronger, I'm able to withstand much longer matches which helps me, and also the recovery. I think that's why my success has been a lot better on the clay. But, yeah, it's an area that I always try to improve. I'm 6'2" and I think for somebody at that height, I still feel like I can be better. Q. Did you watch Serena's match today? MARIA SHARAPOVA: I watched the last couple of games. That's it. Q. Were you happy to see her get out of your path here? MARIA SHARAPOVA: I thought that Makarova, the few points that I saw, played really solid and well, forced unforced errors from her. Yeah, but either way, I mean, it doesn't matter. For her to come in and win in straight sets and to play at that level means she's obviously on a pretty big, high note right now confidence‑wise, and that's always dangerous. Q. How do you approach a match against someone like her? MARIA SHARAPOVA: You got to concentrate on yourself. You know that you're in a quarterfinals stage of a tournament. It's only going to be tough from here. I mean, the further you get, the tougher it gets. Obviously it's focusing on what I have to do. I played her a couple of times last year. It was on clay. We haven't played on hard, I don't think. So that will be a different matchup. But another lefty. I think it will help me that I already played against a lefty in this tournament. So, yeah. Q. You beat her what, Madrid, Rome last year? Madrid was fairly close, but Rome you got her pretty good. Did you see her make a big jump from there to today's tournament? MARIA SHARAPOVA: It's tough to say. I didn't get a good chance to see a lot of games. I watched a few points. I usually don't like to watch too much tennis going into a match. Q. Is it becoming more difficult to make you smile at the press conferences now, to find a way to have a cheerful answer? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, maybe you should start asking cheerful questions and I'll have cheerful answers (smiling). You always ask silly ones, so... I know you do. You're Italian. Q. What do you consider your age is when you look at yourself? MARIA SHARAPOVA: My what? Q. Your age? MARIA SHARAPOVA: My age? Q. Do you feel yourself you are young or so many years on tennis that maybe you're older than your age? In relationship with what you have done in the tennis... MARIA SHARAPOVA: The fact is I've been on the tour for many years, so you don't get away from that fact. I mean, I'm fortunate to be sitting in this position and saying that I achieved great success at 17 years old. Obviously maybe if I had achieved it a few years later, I wouldn't feel like I've been on the tour for so long. But I'm certainly not complaining for that because that will probably be the highest note of my career. But I'm 24 years old, almost 25. I love this sport as much as I loved it, you know, when I was at that age. Every day I feel like I wake up and I go out, I feel like I can improve, and that makes me feel young. I feel like I still have a lot of energy and desire. Maybe the year before last I was on a steady line, maybe didn't have that energy and passion, and everything was kind of at a standstill. But I feel like I've regained that energy, yeah. Q. Why would it be the highest note of your career when you were 17? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Because I never had expected that that would come to my career. I was so naïve. I mean, I don't think at that point, when I had won Wimbledon, I understood what it meant. I thought it was just an incredible feeling, and it's Wimbledon, but I don't think I actually logically knew what I had done. And, yeah, I don't know. I mean, you never quite know when your success is going to come. But I think it was just something that happened, the stars aligned for me to achieve that. I've also been through a lot of tough times. I've also said the success that I can achieve, the fact that I got myself back to being top 5 in the world, playing tennis again, playing at a high level, competing at this level is pretty remarkable from where I was on a surgery table, not knowing if I'd ever be able to hit a serve again. So just a lot of perspective. If I do achieve, you know, a Grand Slam win, something on that level, there's no doubt that that will be another big moment in my career. Q. You were asked a question about being cheerful. When you hit a great winner, you do the fist pump, do you feel happy or is it just satisfaction? MARIA SHARAPOVA: It's interesting. During a match, there's so many emotions. Sometimes I'm sure it's almost like you look angry in a way. In the end of the match it's more happiness and just joy, the fact that you won. I mean, whenever I win, it's more like just a really, really happy feeling. I don't know. I mean, you work towards winning those types of matches ‑ tough or easy ‑ and it gives you a good satisfaction when that match point ends and you're the champion. It is for many athletes. But when you're in the moment, I'm very competitive, so when I fist pump, it's more like, All right, I won this but we still have many more to go so I'm not celebrating that much yet.

Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Round 4

Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Round 4

Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Round 4 ]

Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Round 4

Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Round 4

Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Round 4

Sharapova Passes Tough Lisicki Test Maria Sharapova spent about four hours knowing that Ekaterina Makarova had knocked the woman who has given her so much trouble over the years, Serena Williams, out of the draw. So when she went on court against the powerful yet sometimes erratic Sabine Lisicki, it must have been hard to put out her mind that if she won the match, the great Williams would not be a major a roadblock for her in the quarters. Sharapova almost always looks focused on court, but her fierce mask can hide a rapidly-beating heart. She started fast, slowed down rapidly and then picked up her pace and accuracy and was able to repel the German 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in two hours and 15 minutes. It was not the most stylish match she has ever played, but it was impressive enough as after a very poor first set, Sharapova ended the contest by knocking off 23 winners and forcing the German into 45 errors, which outweighed her 47 unforced errors. She served well enough to keep Lisicki off her back for the most part, got a great read on the German

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Maria Sharapova 2012 Australian Open Round 3