Sharapova thrilled ahead of US Open comeback
Published: 29 August, 2009, 08:29
Maria Sharapova of Russia returns a shot during her loss to compatriot Elena Dementieva in the final of the Rogers Cup on August 23, 2009 in Toronto. (AFP Photo/Geoff Robins)
TAGS: Sport, Sharapova, Tennis
Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova says she's excited to be back on court and is looking forward to the chance to recapture the US Open crown, a title she won back in 2006.
Sharapova has gradually been regaining her form since returning from an eight-month shoulder injury lay-off and, at the recent Rogers' Cup, reached her first final since April, 2008.
"I'm just thrilled to be playing again. I missed the event last year. I was really disappointed, because I was missing that and the Olympics – it was a pretty, pretty tough season for me to be out, um, you know, it was in the midst of so many great tournaments that I could have been a part of, so to be here a year later and to be healthy and to be participating again in the tournament is wonderful," Maria Sharapova told AP news agency.
The 22-year-old is ranked 29th seed for next week's event at Flushing Meadows.
The Russian will, of course, be seeking to prove she's much better than that ranking when she starts her campaign against Bulgaria's Svetana Pironkova in round one.
"I have played her before. I practiced with her a few times a couple of years ago. I haven't seen her too much lately, but I've been out of the game for a while, so I haven't seen too many players. But you know every opponent is going to be difficult. This is a Grand Slam stage and a Grand Slam event so you have to be on your 'A' game from the beginning," she said.
Maria Sharapova was in New York on Thursday to unveil her new line of Cole Haan shoes.
The former world No.1 personally spent a lot of time on the design and direction of the line while she was away from the sport with her injury.
"I actually was fortunate, in a way, with the timing of my injury, because I actually had a lot of time to work on the design process of it and, you know, instead of just going to the meetings and kind of talking about my ideas, I was able to bring sketches – I'm not a great drawer or a great painter, I'm no Picasso but, um, I certainly brought my vision onto paper a little bit better than I would have if I didn't have that much time," she said.
24.08.2009, 12:11
Dementieva clinches all-Russian finalWith the fourth and final grand slam of the tennis season just around the corner Elena Dementieva has timed hitting top form to perfection. |
02.09.2009, 08:23
Safina, Sharapova, Kuznetsova march in step at US OpenWomen's World No. 1 Dinara Safina has survived a first round scare at the US Open to stay in the race for her maiden Grand Slam title. |
It is a celebration for our eyes seeing Maria Sharapova playing again. She is so pretty, elegant and irradiates some specific sort of charm - I simply love that girl! She could have used her recovery time in a much efficient way: to get pregnant and to give birth to a child. No use of wasting time on shoe designing.