Q. We'll ask Maria to talk about her preparations for Bank of the West and her plans for the summer.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I'm certainly excited for the US Open Series. It's quite close to home. After a long European trip which I had great success in, it's great to be playing tournaments that I love very much and I've had great success at.
So it's great to be back at this part of the year.
Q. Looking back to 2006 and your win in the US Open over Justine Henin in the final, what stands out about that match to you five years later?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, I thought it was a really great performance from me. It was a title that I came so close to and had lost in the semifinals. So actually when I won my semis and beat Amelie Mauresmo in three sets, I was quite ecstatic to and so excited to be in that final stage of the US Open.
I just thought I played really, really great match against Henin who was in really top form at that event. I was very happy that I was able believe to beat her at such a high stage.
Q. You're No. 5 in the world as we speak right now. First time you've been in the top 10 since I guess 2008 you finished at No. 9. To what do you owe your success this year?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I feel like it's been a really great progression. I feel like I've been really improving with every tournament that I've played. Little by little, I've taken the small steps and improved little things in my game. Made a few changes in my team. I changed racquets at the end of last year.
So I think there was a few things. But those little sacrifices that you kind of make, you never quite know when the results will kick in. I feel like little by little I'm getting those.
Q. How is the shoulder feeling?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Good. Shoulder feels good.
Q. What have you done tennis wise since Wimbledon? How much time did you take off, and when did you get back on the court?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, that time always goes a lot quicker than I wish. (Laughter.) I probably took off about six days. I headed straight back home. It was a long trip for me; it was about 11 weeks on the road.
So even though I wanted to maybe stay in Europe and take a little vacation, first thing I wanted to do was get back home and just have a normal home life for a few days. Yeah, I started training right after that.
Q. Your serve, do you still consider it an iffy area, or are you confident in where it is now?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I certain see that it's something that I can definitely improve in terms being more consistent with it, and getting it a little faster and stronger as well.
It's definitely something that I can still improve. You know, that gives me a lot confidence, because I've been able to win a lot of matches this year where maybe a few of those I felt like I didn't serve my best.
But I was able to return and play really well, so that gives me a tremendous amount of confidence that I can get it even better.
Q. What's your summer schedule after Stanford?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I believe it's Toronto and Cincinnati.
Q. When we were at Wimbledon, you seemed to leave there with a positive feeling about how your game has progressed and that you were able to get back to the form of being a finalist and potential winner at a Grand Slam tournament. Talk about a few weeks away, are you still seeing it as a positive? Any disappointments? Where do you put that now?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I mean, to be honest, it's still nice to come home with a nice plate, so I was glad I didn't come home after Wimbledon empty handed. To have that moment where you're walking out in the final stage of Wimbledon, even though you didn't leave with the big trophy, you know, gives me a great and tremendous amount of confidence that I've been doing something right in the last few months and I've been getting better.
I think I always like to let the game talk instead of saying, Okay, I'm feeling better. Everything is going well. I'm pretty realistic about my results. I always feel like the more matches you win, the ranking is always going to take care of itself.
So to find myself in that stage of the tournament, it means that I did a few things right to get there. Definitely proud, because I hadn't been at that stage in many years in Wimbledon.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about the run up to the US Open? I think a lot players feel with the summer heat and humidity in the U.S. and everything, it probably makes or breaks and you and really helps you get into gear.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, it's a tough series. Like you said, it's summertime. It can get hot, especially in Cincinnati. Cincinnati is probably one of the warmest, sometimes even warmer than the Australian Open, so I have to be extra prepared.
I grew up in the Florida heat since I was seven years old, and the humidity and the sun, I've gotten used to that over my career. So when it gets above 100 or something, it doesn't matter how well you prepared. It's going to affect you at some point.
It's really good how you handle it, how you come through, and how tough you are.
Q. You were so close at Wimbledon. Is there anything you can see that you want to improve or try to prepare to win the US Open?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, there are many things that I feel like I can I don't think you can sit down and say there is a part of your game that's perfect. I always feel like you can improve, even if it's just a few percent. Even if it's one step quicker, you know, I still feel like I can be quicker on the court.
Yeah, like I said before, I still can improve my serve. I can be aggressive and move in a bit more and take a few more balls out of air. Yeah, few things like that.
Q. I was just wondering what draws you and some of the other players to the tournament at Stanford.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, for me, I usually train in the Los Angeles area right before I go over to Stanford. I have a home in Manhattan Beach, so it's quite close for me. I love playing in tournaments that are not like more than a five hour flight over to the tournament.
So it feels more homey. And I like a place where you can actually drive to your matches instead of having a driver. You can have your own car and drive around. Yeah, just feels a little bit more normal.
Q. There is another player playing in the tournament Kimiko Date Krumm, who is 40 years old. How long can you see yourself playing tennis? Can you see yourself playing when you're 40?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Not to that point, no. I don't think I'll be. But I mean, I love this sport very much and I've played it since I was four years old. It's been my life and it will be for many more years to come.
I don't think I'll be at that stage. I have other goals in my life and family and other things.
Q. Maria Sharapova. I'll be seeing you in a few days.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I know. What's up?
Q. What's up? I just wanted to...
MARIA SHARAPOVA: You're taking my time (Laughing). Do you understand my fitness coach is giving me a dirty look because I am sitting by the fence on the court in between my fitness workout. I'm serious. No, I have all these cones lined up by my, and I'm feeling sick because I know in five minutes I'm going to be jumping over those things.
Q. Tell him to get lunch, huh?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I know. Go take a lunch break. (Laughing.)
Q.Since you're on court, I wanted to ask, how much does learning about the sport still get you going and excited? Do you feel like, Yeah, I want to get on court today and practice maybe a new little shot or new little strategy, something like that?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, it's a lot of work, especially when you're it's funny, when you're traveling and playing at tournament and then you have a few days off and you're playing another tournament, it almost becomes like an autopilot.
I always say it's so much easier playing in tournaments because you're not practicing four to five hours a day. You go out, you warmup, you play your match. You have an hour hit in between, and the days off maybe you practice three hours.
Then you have the weeks where you really need to train, it's a lot of training and fitness. It's commitment. So these days are a lot more tougher. Obviously not as competitive as it is when you're playing tournaments, but physically they're lot tougher than when you are at tournaments.
Q. How did you keep yourself from getting not necessarily burned out, but just excited about the whole process?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Just keeping a good balance, I guess. I had this conversation with my team today. You know, it seemed last year I finished Wimbledon probably eight days earlier, and, you know, this year you find yourself almost in a little bit of a rush when you take a break after Wimbledon.
You see the US Open down the stretch, and you see it in about, what, five, six weeks or so, and you sit here and you really want to work towards that in a way. But then you also have a big tournament coming up in a couple of weeks. So I think it's just finding the right balance and working hard.
But if there are days when you feel like you're mentally not there, I think it's easier just to have a half day instead of a full day. You know, recover. Sometimes recovery for us is more important than the tough ones as well.
Q. Last one. I know you've had a great last two months. Take me back to last summer where you were playing well, getting to the Stanford finals, Cincinnati final. At that point last summer, did you think going into the Open that you were close to your top level?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I played some great matches during last summer. There's no doubt about it. The problem was it wasn't enough for the US Open. For some reason, that level didn't come to the one where it really mattered most. That's just the way it goes.
Q. Just want to know, we talked a little bit about Stanford last year and losing to Azarenka. What do you like most about playing in Stanford at the university?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I love the fact that it's that younger college crowd. I felt like every day that I played it was so full. Everyone was so into the tennis. It's also a lot more intimate than some of the events we play at and the stadiums that we play in. It feels like the crowd is right there watching you.
So, yeah, it's a little bit different than the big ones we play at.
Q. Now, you've come back from injury a couple years ago, and Serena is now making her attempt at a comeback. What do you see in her game right now? If you were to give her any advice about how to play this summer, what would you say?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I don't think I'm the one to give advice to her. (Laughter.) She's an incredible champion and she's been through injuries before and has gotten herself back. Been a few more injuries than I have in my career, so I think she has it already figured out.
Q. Talking about Serena reminded me, if she comes into the Open unseeded, is that fair for the other players? If you drew her in the first round, how tough would that be?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I guess I went through that. I got some tough draws in the beginning of not being seeded and ranked very high. It's just something you have to go through. It's almost the luck of the draw as well.
Q. Is it unfair to the seeded player, for example, that if you're seed fourth or fifth and she unseeded and you got her in the first round...
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah.
Q. It would be tough for you, wouldn't it?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, but I've always had a philosophy: If you can't beat them in the first round, why do you think you can beat them later on.
Q. But a lot of the top player kind of like to play your way into the tournament, I guess. I guess that will be the luck of the draw.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah. Yeah.
Q. Ideally though, you wouldn't want to see her name across from yours in the first round, would you?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: To be honest, I love playing against her. We've had very, very tough matches against each other. You know, I don't have a great record against her, and I would love to change that. There is no doubt I would love to play her this summer at some point.
Q. How much are you looking forward to the tournament here in Cincinnati?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I am very much. I was very close to winning to last year. Didn't happen, so I would love to get that opportunity back. But there are a lot of matches before that to get to that stage.
So, yeah, it's one of the toughest events I feel like with the weather and the heat, but it's one of the biggest as well, big stage. I look forward to it.
Q. What are do you remember most from your run last year to the finals?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Just trying to stay hydrated. A lot of Pedialyte. (Laughter.)
Gosh, it was funny. There were a couple days that were pretty bad. I remember one I think against Radwanska. We were both struggling out there. I was just like, Do not make this long. Please, do not make this long. And if you win, you have a match tomorrow. Yeah. (Laughter.)
TIM CURRY: One last thought on Cincinnati. This is the first year it's a combined men's and women's event. What's it like to share a venue with the guys? And do you think that will change the atmosphere for you in Cincinnati this year?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think it's great for our sport when events are combined, because everyone can see not just the men or the women, but everyone combined. I think from a business perspective that's pretty big for us, to have everyone in the same stadium playing.
For the fans it's a really big treat. It really is.
TIM CURRY: Thanks for your time, Maria.
www.mariasharapova.com
GO MARIA !!!
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