[PimpMePova]

I don't understand is she just replacing Vladimir until his ankle heals or did she fire him?

[WarrenK]

I think it's only for the next few weeks until Voltchkov heals. Maria seems to like stability in her team so doubt she would let Voltchkov/Hoggy go after she's had success with him so far.

Matt Cronin ‏@TennisReporters
Story re Sharapova & Kiefer is will be HITTING PARTNER not coach next 3 weeks as Voltchkov has ankle injury.Then she gets new hitter at IW

(IDK how to insert tweets here).

[NewShoulderPlz.]

Kiefer to join Sharapova as hitting partner
Matt Cronin | Monday, February 4, 2013

Former Top 5 player Nicolas Kiefer will be joining Maria’s Sharapova’s team as a hitting partner during the next three weeks. Thomas Hogstedt, who has worked with Kiefer before, coaches Sharapova. Sharapova’s usual hitting partner, Vladimir Voltchkov, hurt his ankle badly during the first week of the Australian Open and will be out for a few months.

“Nicolas has been nice enough to agree to hit with Maria for the next three weeks,” Sharapova’s agent, Max Eisenbud told TENNIS.com. “We will then have another hitter join the team at Indian Wells until Vladimir is back healthy and ready to go."

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/...partner/46299/

[Lesborah]

Kiefer

[azi]

I'm glad Nicolas Kieffer is Maria's new hitting partner. I am partial to him because he kinda looked like Andre Agassi esp. with long hair.

and he is such an eye candy !

But...shallow reasons aside, I hope that he can contribute some of his varieties to Maria's repertoire..

[JoPova]

I really like Kiefer Great addition to the team, even if it's just for a couple of weeks!

[Andy.]

The dailymail dont seem to mind her airport style

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...#axzz2KSDIAVYz

[rucolo]

Originally Posted by JoPova

I really like Kiefer Great addition to the team, even if it's just for a couple of weeks!

Love him too And he said Sharapova is the felt #1 haha Azarenka

[PimpMePova]

^ when did he say that? Receipts?

[rucolo]

http://www.tennisnet.com/deutschland...s-Team/4639236

Sharapova holt Nicolas Kiefer ins Team

"Wenn die Nummer eins dich in ihren Trainerstab ruft, da sagst du nicht nein", sagt Kiefer über die Weltranglisten-Dritte und schob noch nach. "Aber eigentlich ist sie ja die gefühlte Eins."

"When the #1 calls you to her coaching team you don`t say no", says Kiefer about the #3 ranked player. "But actually she is the felt #1."

[WonderFan]

he felt many of them and chose her as the #1?
hmmm not a bad choice.

[PimpMePova]

From the WTA site an extract of the Doha press conference

Maria Sharapova
On her focus this week with the No.1 ranking on the line...
"From a personal perspective, I think the further you go in the tournament, the better chance you give yourself to regain that ranking. So I think that all of us will be focusing on just one step at a time. And it also depends on other players' results, so it's tough to focus on that too much."

On her results in Australia and her preparations for Doha...
"I played good tennis. Certainly not in my last match - I wish I could have done a few things differently. But that's the past. You can't look back too much. You look back at it to know maybe what you can do a little different in situations in the future, or maybe a different game plan. But as far as my preparation for here, last year I went straight to Europe to play Fed Cup and it was actually quite busy and a lot of travelling, so this year I went home to train for a bit. It was nice after being in Australia for over a month. It's quite a long trip for only one event, but I love being here. I certainly want to raise my level."

On what she does with all of her trophies...
"They're scattered around. My mom is kind of in charge of organizing. She's like the interior designer in my homes. Honestly, if you come to my home, I don't know if you'd actually know that I was a successful tennis player, because some of the trophies might even be in the kitchen somewhere. I think actually one of my awards we use as like a hat hanger. They're kind of all over the place.

"The main ones are on the same shelf with my medal."



She takes such care of her things

[Masha Fierce]

^^

“I think it’s the ESPY award because it’s like round,nice to put hats on''. Sharapova on which trophy gets to honor of hat check in her home

[PimpMePova]

OMG

[Masha Fierce]

its hilarious , this girl is as creative as you can imagine