[Mexicola]

Originally Posted by Angelpova

Winning Wimbledon priority for 2013, Sharapova says

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Maria Sharapova will focus on trying to win Wimbledon next year rather than attempting to regain the world number one ranking.

"Wimbledon will be my priority next season," Sharapova, who finished the year as world number two behind Belarussian Victoria Azarenka, told Reuters on Tuesday after signing a sponsorship deal with electronics manufacturer Samsung in Moscow.

"This year it was different because of the Olympics but if you ask me about my main goal for 2013, it definitely will be Wimbledon."

Sharapova made her breakthrough to the tennis elite by winning the 2004 Wimbledon title as a 17-year-old newcomer.

This year she won the French Open to complete a career grand slam and claimed the Olympic silver medal in London.

The 25-year-old also said she was hoping to finally end her winless streak against Serena Williams in 2013 after losing to the American in all three of their matches this year, including two finals, in the Olympics and at the WTA Championships on Sunday.

"She plays a very physical tennis and when she is in top form it's very difficult to beat her but I will try to take my revenge next year," said the Florida-based Russian.

http://news.yahoo.com/winning-wimble...6973--ten.html

Maria sure is stubborn. Even with Serena around and her success on clay this year, Wimbledon is still her top priority. I give her credit for aiming high, but I think Wimbledon is the major she's least likely to contend in, especially with a healthy Serena. She's flat out unbeatable on grass. And because of the speed of the surface, Maria seems to struggle more with other power hitters who excel on grass more than other surfaces. See Lisicki. So, IMO, there are many more obstacles to get by on grass for Maria, compared to clay and hard.

And Maria sure loves to throw around the word "revenge" a lot. But she should save the bravado for players like Vika or Agi. I like it when she publicly pokes Vika and calls her out on her drama. And she's shown she can back it up with some wins. But, in the case of Serena, better to be silent and quietly try to come up with a winning game plan. No need to provoke someone you haven't beaten since you were below the legal voting age.

[NashaMasha]

Originally Posted by Mexicola

Maria sure is stubborn. Even with Serena around and her success on clay this year, Wimbledon is still her top priority. I give her credit for aiming high, but I think Wimbledon is the major she's least likely to contend in, especially with a healthy Serena. She's flat out unbeatable on grass. And because of the speed of the surface, Maria seems to struggle more with other power hitters who excel on grass more than other surfaces. See Lisicki. So, IMO, there are many more obstacles to get by on grass for Maria, compared to clay and hard.

And Maria sure loves to throw around the word "revenge" a lot. But she should save the bravado for players like Vika or Agi. I like it when she publicly pokes Vika and calls her out on her drama. And she's shown she can back it up with some wins. But, in the case of Serena, better to be silent and quietly try to come up with a winning game plan. No need to provoke someone you haven't beaten since you were below the legal voting age.

It's not like Serena is winning 3 next Wimbledons in a row..... She was close to lose Zheng and Shvedova this year , really very-very close. Such players like Pironkova or Lisicki on grass can upset anyone including Williams

[FakeMashabator]

Originally Posted by Mexicola

Maria sure is stubborn. Even with Serena around and her success on clay this year, Wimbledon is still her top priority. I give her credit for aiming high, but I think Wimbledon is the major she's least likely to contend in, especially with a healthy Serena. She's flat out unbeatable on grass. And because of the speed of the surface, Maria seems to struggle more with other power hitters who excel on grass more than other surfaces. See Lisicki. So, IMO, there are many more obstacles to get by on grass for Maria, compared to clay and hard.

And Maria sure loves to throw around the word "revenge" a lot. But she should save the bravado for players like Vika or Agi. I like it when she publicly pokes Vika and calls her out on her drama. And she's shown she can back it up with some wins. But, in the case of Serena, better to be silent and quietly try to come up with a winning game plan. No need to provoke someone you haven't beaten since you were below the legal voting age.

Just when I thought you seem to be a pretty reasonable poster, you throw that negativity around another carbon copy of Fighterpova

There is nothing wrong with what she said. She is a champion. She knows what it takes to 'try' to beat Serena. Did you forget that she is the one who gave serena the toughest match in 2010 Wimbledon?

Olympics is just a different story. And it's not like she is guaranteed to meet Serena at Wimbledon. There are certain players who have given Serena trouble on the surface.

And when maria set something as her goal, I am pretty sure she will be working her ass off and trying to improve her grass game more than ever

[gc-spurs]

Originally Posted by Mexicola

Maria sure is stubborn. Even with Serena around and her success on clay this year, Wimbledon is still her top priority. I give her credit for aiming high, but I think Wimbledon is the major she's least likely to contend in, especially with a healthy Serena. She's flat out unbeatable on grass. And because of the speed of the surface, Maria seems to struggle more with other power hitters who excel on grass more than other surfaces. See Lisicki. So, IMO, there are many more obstacles to get by on grass for Maria, compared to clay and hard.

And Maria sure loves to throw around the word "revenge" a lot. But she should save the bravado for players like Vika or Agi. I like it when she publicly pokes Vika and calls her out on her drama. And she's shown she can back it up with some wins. But, in the case of Serena, better to be silent and quietly try to come up with a winning game plan. No need to provoke someone you haven't beaten since you were below the legal voting age.

That revenge speak is hardly bravado, rather its her run of the mill answer. A more interesting way of saying, "I hope I can turn it around" but she always says it.

[Mexicola]

Originally Posted by sickfalsetto

Just when I thought you seem to be a pretty reasonable poster, you throw that negativity around another carbon copy of Fighterpova

There is nothing wrong with what she said. She is a champion. She knows what it takes to 'try' to beat Serena. Did you forget that she is the one who gave serena the toughest match in 2010 Wimbledon?

Olympics is just a different story. And it's not like she is guaranteed to meet Serena at Wimbledon. There are certain players who have given Serena trouble on the surface.

And when maria set something as her goal, I am pretty sure she will be working her ass off and trying to improve her grass game more than ever

There's no such thing as being too negative when it comes to playing Serena. I call it being a realist. Her results against her speak for themselves.

I love Maria's unwavering belief and confidence in herself. It's one of her great strengths and why she's so easy to root for. It's a big reason why she got over the shoulder surgery and why she rose above the serving problems and how she got to the top of tennis again. And it may be the biggest reason why she could beat Serena again someday. She never accepts failure. And, in the end, that's all that matters. I'll be thrilled to say how stupid and wrong I was if and when she beats her again.

[ziros]

And of course,Serena is 31. Decline is coming. As much as it looks like she will continue to dominate for another 3-4 years,I'm telling you,it just won't happen

[MM_1257]

Hmmm... I do not know if speculations about any player right now are right... Anything can happen. Serena proved over the years that she is capable of stepping up when something important for her is happening... And is capable of blowing out the tour despite of months of absence...
But why do I say anything can happen? Look at numerous exaples; look at the latest - Petra Kvitova! Strong in 2011, disappointing 2012...Same goes for Caro... Some players improve drastically like Vika did, others fall in form... It is a cycle... Maria has to focus on staying strong and healthy and work on the weakness of her game - *cough* serve placement *cough* and movement back and front... - because she has a fair share of points to defent through whole year!

[NashaMasha]

Originally Posted by MM_1257

Hmmm... I do not know if speculations about any player right now are right... Anything can happen. Serena proved over the years that she is capable of stepping up when something important for her is happening... And is capable of blowing out the tour despite of months of absence...
But why do I say anything can happen? Look at numerous exaples; look at the latest - Petra Kvitova! Strong in 2011, disappointing 2012...Same goes for Caro... Some players improve drastically like Vika did, others fall in form... It is a cycle... Maria has to focus on staying strong and healthy and work on the weakness of her game - *cough* serve placement *cough* and movement back and front... - because she has a fair share of points to defent through whole year!

There are a number of speculations about how Serena at 31 is running faster than Azarenka

I've seen enough biathlon, cross skiing , cycling etc and don't have any illusions about cleanliness of sports, especially when it turns to the experienced sportsmen

And it's not like i speak about doping, because there are a plenty of legal pharmaceuticals and substances

[effedcamel]

Perhaps her goal this year was to win the FO which is why her game looks tailored to clay right now and became much more ineffectual off it (although she still had boat loads of success)?

[lylux]

Maria Sharapova has received the Russian Cup prize as the country’s best tennis player of 2012. She received the prize before the official ceremony which will be held only on November 16.

Maria is in Moscow for a quick visit as part of an advertising campaign, and at the end of the evening Maria receives award the "Russian Cup" of Shamil Tarpischev Captain of Russian Tennis Federation.

[JoPova]

Wimbledon? She's basically aiming to win the WS Slam! Until Serena stops playing, I think she'll win Wimbledon every single year. I mean, she doesn't even need to play well to win it. She just needs to serve and hit a couple of good ROS per set to break the opponent! If she plays well, it'll be like the Olympics! I'd love to see Maria win the FO again instead!

[domon17th]

^ 2011 Wimbledon. Shit Maria would have won if not against an inspired Petra. And Serena was in the draw, granted she wasn't at top form.

While Maria has surely improved leaps and bounds on clay, I still don't buy the notion that her game has regressed greatly on grass. The foundation of her game is still power play, with big serve and groundies. If she's made Wimbledon her priority now, it won't surprise me if she tweak her training to facilitate that goal.

[MM_1257]

And I would love to see Maria win AO. (Even though that Slam is also Serena's.)

[Светльо]

Originally Posted by Cherry.

http://t.co/hRONzSlJ

Such great news. For once she will not get sick doing the Melbourne-Moscow trip. This might even mean that she possibly plays Doha/Dubai. Not that I am so fond of the idea but anyways.

[Asherahpova]

Doha is the P5 next year so she likely will play there.