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** Masha News and Articles! ** Vol. 3

391K views 6K replies 244 participants last post by  tejmeglekvár 
#1 ·
Hi everyone :wavey:

Thought maybe we could use a thread here to post all the news, interviews, and articles we find on Masha. :)

I just got my new Tennis Week magazine and Maria is on the cover again (she was also on the March cover). :eek:

If they haven't been posted already, I'll scan in the pics and article and post them here later.
 
#196 ·
I have to admit to be a bit uneasy about this Dimitrov thing and am not sure how much of it is actually true.
No intention to judge her private life, but I don't know......it's difficult to explain....somehow I feel it does not fit with Maria's personality/lifestyle approach.....
 
#195 ·
Press conference after today's match.

Q. Is your collarbone causing you too much trouble at the moment, Maria?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No. I'm feeling healthy.

Q. When you're playing as well as you are, what do you do to keep it up? Does it ever get nerve wracking that it might stop at some point?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, it's really about keeping your focus and, you know, no matter what the score is, no matter if you're up. You know, I didn't start the match really great. I was facing a different type of opponent today and I was making a few more mistakes than I would have liked in the beginning.

But after, you know, I held at 2 1, you know, I really started making her play a little bit more. Started really getting under the ball and being aggressive and just had a little bit more energy which really helped me and I carried that throughout the match.

It's always much easier said than done to keep that focus, especially when you have a first set, you know. And maybe in the end of the second your opponent can start going for it a little bit more. She started serving and volleying the last game, which she wasn't really doing too much.

All of a sudden, especially in women's tennis, things can change really quickly. It's really about, you know, sticking to your game plan, being consistent, but playing your game.

Q. Statistically you've probably never had as good a start. Can you remember when you've had anything like this, dropping as few games as you have?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't think I can remember not as many games, no. I mean, the year that I won here I don't think there was many games that I lost, but I don't think it was five or six.

Q. The year you won here you beat a lot of good players, three former No. 1's.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Toughest draw in my career.

Q. Dementieva in the fourth round. All respect to Flipkens, but she's not Dementieva. Do you know where your level is right now?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: You have to face whoever's in the next round. Whether it's Flipkens and it won't be Dementieva now it's who's ahead of you, who's the next one. It doesn't really matter. There's a reason why your opponent gets to that stage of the tournament. I mean, she beats Zakopalova like, what 2 and 1 or something.

She has a different type of game, one you don't see so much. That's why she wins so many matches. She's doing it more consistent. Maybe before she was making a few more errors.

But, you know, she's a very solid player. It's such a contrast to the match of my previous round where it was all about power. So that's certainly not easy, you know, to come from that and adjust to a match like this.

Q. Do you know much about her story, what she's done in the last year, after blood clots and everything?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No.

Q. She had blood clots last April, ranked 260; she's done pretty well.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: That's for sure. Definitely. To be playing tennis as well as she is after that, that's a nice story.

Q. Do you think you're playing well enough to win this or do you really have to wait till you play some of the fellow high seeds to find that out?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Like I mentioned in my previous answer, it's not about waiting to see where you are in the semis or finals, it's about who's ahead of you.

And my next match is against Makarova. I have to do the right things to beat her.

If I win that, it's moving on to the next one. That's how I go about a tournament, a Grand Slam. Obviously I want to be playing my best tennis towards the end of the second week.

Q. You've been playing very well, but particularly this tournament we can see lots of return winners. How do you feel about your return at the moment?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I feel like against Venus I returned pretty well. But if you don't, I mean, the scoreline is not going to be the way it was. I think that was really important, you know, the return and the serve, the first shot.

The court is playing a little bit faster this year, I feel like. So those are two very extremely important, you know, shots because they start the point off and, you know, hopefully get you in a good position in the court and finish the point how you want to finish it.

Q. So you are happy with your return?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I think so. I could have maybe returned a little bit better in the beginning of today's match, but overall I did, yeah.

Q. When you spend so little time on the match court in matches, do you then go onto the practice court or are you satisfied with just the match? Some people feel they haven't been extended and want to play more in the day.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I have in the past certainly when I felt like I've come off a match and I'm feeling like something needs a little bit of extra work or I need a little bit more time in the gym, do a little run.

But it depends. You also have to pace yourself because it's a two week event. Over the course of those two weeks, it's important that your body and your mind is as good as it can be towards the end of the second week as it is in the beginning. You're not going to be as fresh.

The work that you put in before the tournament is the most important. What you do in the off season, you're not going to put this work in during the tournaments.

I actually love coming to tournaments. You practice less and just go and play matches. It's like the best case scenario.

Q. How much more time do you spend on recovery than you did maybe four years ago or eight years ago?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I spend a lot more time doing like little shoulder exercises that are a complete bore, that I wish I didn't have to do, but I do. You know, I have to get treatment every day on the shoulder and also the body.

Yeah, I mean, usually on the days off I spend a good 45 minutes to an hour in the gym. But it's not like lifting heavy weights. It's more preventive exercises for the whole body. Then another hour on the massage table. I'm usually doing emails and my trainer is working.

Q. Is there such a thing as getting like a special feeling during a Grand Slam that you know you're going to play well or is it really match to match, day to day?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: It is. The lead up to the tournament, you know, sometimes if you're playing really good in practice I get a little bit worried. But I never do. I'm horrible in practice most of the time.

I'm like, That's a great sign, because I come to the matches, you know, and my expectations are quite low.

But I think it depends. Every Grand Slam that I've won or done well at, I've always felt different actually. You know, sometimes I feel like I'm not playing my best tennis in the beginning, but I start playing better.

And then a couple that I've won, I felt like I was playing great from the beginning and I was able to carry that through the whole tournament.

Q. 2008, what match did you know you might win? Was it Justine when you beat her in the quarters?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think so. I was really ready for Justine's match, especially after losing to her in Madrid.

Q. Do you have any certain habits to give your game confidence before the game? For example, like when you wake up today, what do you usually do? Like choose a certain color of dress or do something that makes you feel good looking or fresh?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, if it was good for business, I'd wear a different dress for every match. But the dresses are the same for every match. If you played well, you're wearing it again, great; if you didn't, it's just bad luck. You have to wear it again.

I mean, I have my routine. I wouldn't say it's very superstitious. But I think over the years when you find a routine that works for you, you stick with it, whether it's the times and when you warm up, how long, how long you like to give yourself before a match.

It's more those things that make you just feel comfortable because you know it's worked for you before.

Q. Are you still practicing your Yoga every day?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: My Yoga? No, I haven't. I've got so many other things to practice. Yoga just really isn't on that list anymore.

Q. If you were to make a new Sugarpova flavor based on your first four matches, what would it be called?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think you get a bag for that (laughter).

Oh, I don't know.

Q. Happypova?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't know. I would call it steamy, but just for different reasons. (Laughter.) You know what I'm talking about, Max.

What does she mean answering to that last question?
 
#205 ·
Hate me now, but I don't think that Dimitrov is compatible with her nor do I think that this will last long.
 
#209 ·
um... maybe... tbh, sometimes he looks extremely hot to me and sometimes not so hot...
 
#217 ·
Pressers up! This girl is funny.

Q. Dropped nine games all the way to the semis. Are you pleased about this? How did you feel about today?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yes, I am. I thought today was going to be a really good test. She's beaten quality players over the course of last week, and I know that she's capable of playing really good, you know, with deep hitting. Also a lefty, which is a bit tricky.

So, yeah, I thought I handled that pretty good and was able to keep my focus all the way through the match.



Q. Did you get to see the game earlier today or is that something you'll watch tonight?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I watched a little bit of it. I did, yeah.



Q. You really haven't lost focus at all for more than, what, a game or a few points the whole tournament?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, I'd probably say more, but that's probably because I'm critical.

No, I mean, that's always one of the toughest things, like I mentioned before, it is keeping that focus, especially when you have when you feel like you're doing the right things and you have your opponent in the right position, sometimes they start changing things up or going for it a little bit more, and that can be dangerous.

You really have to follow through with what you've done and keep doing it. Meanwhile, you know, keep your head in the right direction.



Q. I guess the next match, you know her very well. She's been playing great; she's a veteran player. Last time you played her, was it Rome?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, we played in Beijing, in the semis.

Yeah, I mean, I've beaten her the last few times that we've played, but they've always been really good matches, really tough matches. I certainly expect it in the next one.

She's had a great start to the year and playing really well. She was, you know, the most improved player towards the end of last year as well, so that will be hopefully a high quality semi.



Q. Does it worry you at all you haven't had a big test yet going into the semis?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, going into the match, my goal is not really to be tested (laughter). I don't know how else to put it. If I do come into a situation where I feel like I have to pull through or I'm not playing my best tennis or she's up and I have to find a way to win, then that's what you have on that given day.

Do I want to be in that position? Absolutely not.

You know, like I said, if I start the match well, I want to follow through with that along the whole way and keep that motivation and the way that I'm playing, doing the right things and keeping that focus. That's the important thing.

It's not to think, Oh, well, should I just give away a few games. It's not really a mentality of a winner, I think.



Q. Since you coach and agent are familiar with Li Na, do you think it's your advantage this time because they would give you some very useful advice?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: We've played against each other so many times before Thomas was my coach and after. I mean, Max has been my manager since I was 11 years old. We know each other's game. It has nothing to do.

Our coaches are not the ones that are going out on the court and playing against each other. We're certainly experienced enough. We've faced each other enough times that we know each other's game so well, and at the end of the day it's all about execution and not the other factors.



Q. Have you ever tried to ask Max the question about, Who would you root for?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think we know the answer to that (laughter).



Q. What's the answer?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Ask him (smiling). Let's call him into a press conference.



Q. He roots for more deals, huh?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think when you've worked with someone for as many years as we have, it's beyond money and deals. And he's fine, I mean.



Q. Especially as the CEO of Sugarpova.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, he gave himself that title. I don't know a CEO that's ever just given himself the title of a CEO, but I guess he's a great example.




Q. Li Na is being coached by Carlos Rodriguez who you clearly know from Justine. Have you noticed any difference in her game, or did you in Beijing, or was it pretty much the same?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, she certainly stepped up her game. I think at different times in a player's career you need that extra motivation, you might need a change.

She's been there; she's done that; she's a Grand Slam champion. It wasn't like she needed someone to come in and fix her game. I don't think that was really the plan.

But sometimes when you just have a different surrounding and a new voice, they might be saying the same things but it just gets to you a little bit differently and your motivation changes.

So that certainly was a big factor for me when I had to make that decision a few years ago, because at the end of the day we know how to play tennis, you know.



Q. Have you seen Sloane Stephens play?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: A little bit. Not too much, no.



Q. Madison Keys you've seen a little bit more.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah.



Q. A couple impressions on her.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: On Madison?



Q. Yes.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think she has a big game. Maybe she's not as consistent right now. If she can keep that strength, I mean, she has a great first serve, you know, and she can definitely improve her movement, but overall I think she's heading in the right direction.



Q. According to Forbes, Li Na is the second most paid female athlete in the world.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Since when do we pay attention to Forbes?



Q. Do you feel like it's an interesting thing to know?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Do you?



Q. You are the most paid.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Do you think that they have my pass code to my bank account?



Q. I don't know.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, think about it (smiling).



Q. The county of Miami Dade has approved the site to be revamped there. How much have you felt in the last few years that the tournament needs a facelift, that it's lagging behind the other events?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, it's such a huge event. There's so many people from all around the world coming to watch it. You know, after so many years, you certainly feel like there needs to be improvements, you know, adjustments, bigger and better things.

But, again, it's not an overnight process. You know, that was a big step with that approval. I personally love the tournament. I mean, I've watched it since I was a very young little girl as a spectator and a fan. I sat in those seats watching Marcelo Rios and Yevgeny Kafelnikov. I can only see it growing in a bigger direction.

Yeah, I don't feel like it's really old because I still feel that charm in it from when I was going there. That fountain in the front, taken so many pictures there, so hopefully they leave that.

Overall it's a really, really nice tournament.



Q. Have you ever gave out some Sugarpova to the girls or your rivals or Li Na?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No. Mostly the ATP players are taking them. It doesn't seem like they have any diet restrictions. I think the girls are very cautious with the sugar. The guys, they don't care. I heard in their meeting they're just all over it.


Q. Maybe Li Na can bring a bag to China and do a promotion for you.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think I can do that, too.


hahaha

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2013-01-22/201301221358844013394.html
 
#219 ·
I wanna see the video of it now :lol:
 
#226 ·
Wait, are you telling me that Flirty/Cheeky/Chic/Silly/Splashy all taste the same!?!? Dafuq did I spend my money on?
 
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