[Volcana]

First 22 - 23 matches

Sharapova hasn't had results QUITE as good as Venus at the same age, but it's very close.

      Sharapova                           V. Williams    

-- 19 APR 02 14 years old ------   -- 17 JUN 95 14 years old
                                             
T1 2r MAR 02 Indian Wells          T3 16 NOV 94 Oakland

-- 19 APR 03 15 years old ------   -- 17 JUN 95 15 years old

T3 1r SEP 02 Japan Open            T1 1r AUG 95 Manhattan Beach
GS 1r JAN 03 Australian Open       T1 1r AUG 95 Canadian Open
T1 1r MAR 03 Indian Wells          T3 QF NOV 95 Oakland USA
T1 1r MAR 03 Miami                 T1 1r MAR 96 Indian Wells
T1 1r APR 03 Charleston            T2 1r APR 96 Amelia Island

-- 19 APR 03 16 years old -------  -- 17 JUN 96 16 years old

GS 1r JUN 03 French Open           T1 16 AUG 96 Manhattan Beach
T3 SF JUN 03 Birmingham            T2 1r AUG 96 San Diego
GS 16 JUN 03 Wimbledon             T3 1r NOV 96 Oakland
T2 16 JUL 03 Los Angeles           T1 QF MAR 97 Indian Wells
T1 1r AUG 03 Canadian Open         T1 3r MAR 97 Key Biscayne
GS 2r AUG 03 U.S. Open             T2 2r APR 97 Amelia Island
                                   GS 2r MAY 97 French Open

 

[auntie janie]

Interesting! And they both shot up to the same height, too.

Only you would have thought of doing this comparison, Volcana. Thanks!

 

[SanTaureau Fan]

I really don't see a point to make a comparison. Venus was hyped because she was obviously going to be good, Sharapova is hyped because everyone is desesperate for a Kournikova II. She will be good no doubt about that, but if she would be ugly no one would talk about her right now except the hardcore tennis fans.

We are talking about a woman who did about nothing so far on the main tour and had lost this year to Koukalova and Reeves.

 

[Hurley]

But if Masha wishes to continue on this path, she'll have to have gone deep into a major -- like final deep -- and be in or near the Top Ten by this time next year.

I doubt it.

 

[Steam]

Damn, first she was being compared to Kournikova and now Venus. I say she should just shave her head and go with the Agassi comparison.

 

[Volcana]

Damn, first she was being compared to Kournikova and now Venus.

Two VERY different things.

 

[banana]

I can understand y u would compare her career so far to anotha playa of the same age, but i find it interesting that u chose Venus, whose accomplishments at 16 weren't truly reflective of her talent! wouldn't it b betta 2 compare her 2 Hingis, Graf, Capriati, who, like maria had success at an early age!

 

[purrtykitty19]

You could probably find at least 30 other girls with the same results at this age though...

 

[tazban1]

wouldn't it b betta 2 compare her 2 Hingis, Graf, Capriati, who, like maria had success at an early age!

Hingis, Graf, Capriati, and even Kournikova & Lucic were much better players at 16. Though, the first 3 didn't have age eligibility rules to contend with so it's not really a fair comparison.

 

[Volcana]

I can understand y u would compare her career so far to anotha playa of the same age, but i find it interesting that u chose Venus, whose accomplishments at 16 weren't truly reflective of her talent!

a) Venus is my favorite player

b) Same body type

c) Seem style of play

d) Same approach to the game (at that age)

 

[ys]

a) Venus is my favorite player

b) Same body type

c) Seem style of play

d) Same approach to the game (at that age)

Agree on all accounts. That's what her game reminded me. Pre-USO-97 Venus. Tall, skiiny hardhitting baseliner without much of ideas on how to play the game. The only difference is that Venus is so incomparably more gifted physically, that if Masha will try to play Venus's type game and nothing else, the best she can hope for is becoming another Amy Frazier or Meghann Shaugnessy, which is not that bad, BTW.

 

[The Guilty]

First 22 - 23 matches

Sharapova hasn't had results QUITE as good as Venus at the same age, but it's very close.

      Sharapova                           V. Williams    

-- [B]19 APR 02 14 years old [/B] ------   -- [B]17 JUN 95 14 years old[/B]
                                             
T1 2r MAR 02 Indian Wells          T3 16 NOV 94 Oakland

-- [B]19 APR 03 15 years old [/B] ------   -- 17 JUN 95 15 years old

T3 1r SEP 02 Japan Open            T1 1r AUG 95 Manhattan Beach
GS 1r JAN 03 Australian Open       T1 1r AUG 95 Canadian Open
T1 1r MAR 03 Indian Wells          T3 QF NOV 95 Oakland USA
T1 1r MAR 03 Miami                 T1 1r MAR 96 Indian Wells
T1 1r APR 03 Charleston            T2 1r APR 96 Amelia Island

-- 19 APR 03 16 years old -------  -- 17 JUN 96 16 years old

GS 1r JUN 03 French Open           T1 16 AUG 96 Manhattan Beach
T3 SF JUN 03 Birmingham            T2 1r AUG 96 San Diego
GS 16 JUN 03 Wimbledon             T3 1r NOV 96 Oakland
T2 16 JUL 03 Los Angeles           T1 QF MAR 97 Indian Wells
T1 1r AUG 03 Canadian Open         T1 3r MAR 97 Key Biscayne
GS 2r AUG 03 U.S. Open             T2 2r APR 97 Amelia Island
                                   GS 2r MAY 97 French Open

Isn't this wrong?

 

[RAA]

I finally saw this girl play last night.. and I thought she had a lot of talent and potential.
but its hard for me to differentiate her from a lot of the other young players who also have a lot of talent and potential.

I just don't know if she's gonna end up on the pile of "top twenty players who can't quite break through consistently" or a top five player.. it seems like every year there is the GREAT NEW HOPE , usually sporting a blonde ponytail and a glam smile. and sometimes I can't see through the hype to see how this player is going to really turn out..

 

[RAA]

am I the only one who thinks her service motion is odd?

 

[the cat]

Why should Maria be compared to the other players mentioned? None of them had to deal with the severe WTA Tour's Age Eligibility Rules that Maria has to deal with. Maria is doing okay at 16 just like Venus was. But Maria has grown so much that she probably won't be able to get her game together for another year or two. Tennis history says it's very hard for a player over 6' tall to be dominant by the time they are 16 or 17. The same is true for Maria. Just as it was for Venus.

 

[Monica_Rules]

Sharapova has the age rule thing against her though.Did Venus?

And from what i see at 16 Maria is more impresive.SF in a tier 3 and 4th round in wimbledon

Venus has QF in a tier 1.