[nelsondan]

Originally Posted by MaitaBaby

Thanks for the medicine.

On her goals for 2012...
"I'm really looking forward to the grass court season. Wimbledon is always a big one for me and a big goal every single year. And two weeks later it's the Olympics, which I've never been a part of in my career, and it's something I've wanted to do and be a part of since I was a little kid.

[solyane]

New interview from Maria in a french newspaper http://www.lefigaro.fr/sport/2012/02...s-physique.php I translated it quickly during my lunch break, so sorry if it's not perfect.


LE FIGARO. – You managed to come back among the best players in the world after a long shoulder’s injury that made you go down in the rankings. What did you learn from these hard times?
Maria SHARAPOVA. – I realized how much I love wh at I’m doing. When we start something really young and that we practice it every day, we are a little in autopilot mode and we don’t really realize what’s going on. You have to wait a serious injury to understand what you may loose and really step back.

Did you discuss it with other famous players like Andre Agassi for instance, who came back to his best lever after his wrists’ problems?
No directly. Even if there are injuries a lot different, we are all confronted to it at one point or another, we almost have the same perception. We know that our bodies is one of the thing that matters the most and people talk to us about our goals, we often point that our priority is « to be healthy », which may seem like a boring answer for our interlocutors.

You have been playing pro for 11 years now, what look do you have on that period less intense that female tennis is going through right now?
The game became a lot more physical than before. When I won Wimbledon at 17 years old, I wasn’t the most physical player on the tour. If I hadn’t evolved, that I didn’t become stronger physically, I won’t be able to keep up today. The young players are more powerful today, they move better on the court, their recovery is better. The physical preparation takes part in the evolution of female tennis, as well as technology, rackets… People are talking about a slack period in our sport but the prize money have never been higher since I have played pro, we obtained the equality of the prize with the men a few years ago, which was a big step. And with the tv rights and the sponsors it seems that a lot of people believes in female tennis.

With your size (1,88m), you are the taller WTA player on the circuit behind the player Akgul Amanmuradova (1, 90 m), but it seems that like with the the men, the female players are more and more tall. An explanation?
Regarding me, my parents aren’t tall and neither athletics maybe it’s coming from my great grandparents. But, I don’t where this trend is coming from. Being tall has its advantages but also disadvantages. It’s harder to mode obviously, to change of direction but we can go get the ball further. And I’m sure that smaller builds still has a chance to express themselves on a court. You just have to look at a player like Justine Henin.

You are taking part for the first time in the Open GDF Suez. Aside from the competition, what would you like to do in Paris ?
Eating! (Laughs) I like trying lots of different meals. The architecture is one of my big hobbies, I get the advantage to discover new districts by walking or driving. I look at every roof, banisters, the way the building are build one towards another. I’m always wondering how they are build and it’s a source of inspiration for me in a creative point of view. Obviously in Paris, there is also the shopping and aside from the designer brands, there are so many clothes shops where you can find a lot of classy and classical clothes.

[MM_1257]

Masha and her eating. I do not wanna imagine what is going to happen when she stops playing professionally.
Thanks for the article.

[lefty24]

Originally Posted by Maja12

Masha and her eating. I do not wanna imagine what is going to happen when she stops playing professionally.
Thanks for the article.

Fatpova.

[18majors]

Originally Posted by lefty24

Fatpova.

Can't picture that and hope it won't happen.

[nelsondan]

Originally Posted by Maja12

Masha and her eating. I do not wanna imagine what is going to happen when she stops playing professionally.
Thanks for the article.

Almost every time I see her talking about food, I also seem to see a photo that makes me wonder....Maria--are your thighs getting thinner? Bon appetite.

[JamieOwen3]

who cares? right now we have fitpovalicious

[Serfpova]

This, she's entitled to become a fatty after her career.

[solyane]

PARIS, France - On next Monday's rankings there will be a shift near the top, as Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova will flip flop (Sharapova will rise to No.2, Kvitova will dip down to No.3). It will be Sharapova's 75th career week in the Top 2 - a number only 10 women in the history of the WTA can beat.

Watch Paris & Pattaya City on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Despite playing through several generations of legends and suffering a serious right shoulder injury a few years ago, Sharapova has been consistently excellent throughout her career, and since the rankings began in 1975 only 10 women have more weeks than her in the Top 2: Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Serena Williams, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters.

After winning her opening match at the Open GDF SUEZ on Wednesday, the 24-year-old was asked about returning to the No.2 ranking next week.

"It's a great statistic, no doubt, because it means you're not losing every single match. You can't be at that ranking and not be having good results - it means you're consistent," she said. "But it's a goal of mine to get to No.1. That's a goal in every player's mind. Then again, having been in that position before, I think my main goal is really the Grand Slams. And those wins will bring my ranking."

Sharapova is playing the Open GDF SUEZ for the first time and has been complimenting the atmosphere of the Premier tournament's center court.

"It's more intimate, because the stands go much higher instead of going out. I personally like that," she said. "When we play around the world in so many big stadiums, it seems like the people are really spread out - if I were a fan, I would prefer it to be this kind of atmosphere and this type of arena, because I would be so much closer and would really feel the intensity of the match. The physical aspects of it, the reactions, the emotions, the movement... I think that's just so much better from a fan's perspective. And you really feel that energy as well."

And what does the Russian megastar do in the city? "Just visit, walk around. I've lived in the US for so many years, you get used to driving places all the time, and I love coming to Europe because you walk everywhere. You walk and you forget. Just going to a restaurant, walking for 20, 25 minutes is not a big deal - but if you think of doing that in Florida you're crazy! It's just different.

"There are also so many different things to do here as well. I love the food, the shopping's amazing and there are so many unique and different boutiques you don't find around the world. Of course you have all the main shops that you get in other cities, but then you find the hidden secrets you always go back to. Then the parks, architecture, museums... it's pretty much endless."

http://www.wtatennis.com/page/OffCou...605637,00.html



"It will be Sharapova's 75th career week in the Top 2 - a number only 10 women in the history of the WTA can beat." Impressive!

[Maria rocks]

http://blogs.bettor.com/Maria-Sharap...pecial-a128694

[Serfpova]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/s...w/11845410.cms

"I haven't been home in a while. As much as I love Paris, I'm very happy to be going home to sleep in my own bed."

Sleeping again

[cyannnnn]

Originally Posted by jameshazza

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/s...w/11845410.cms

Sleeping again

or sasha's bed

i think she need some rest after AO, Fed Cup. she must be very tired.
it will be Valentine day soon. so some rest in Turkey and then back to Floride to train

[MM_1257]

Originally Posted by Maria rocks

http://blogs.bettor.com/Maria-Sharap...pecial-a128694

why do people jump in advance.

[Julian.]

Btw, Maria Sharapova is currently trending at Yahoo at #4 I don't know why

[nelsondan]

I did not want to put this photo with this story in the picture thread, but...I wondered just how well Maria was moving as I watched the live score thread. Hopefully this is misleading...

http://www.dailysports.co/kerber-stu...paris-quarters