Not her day

Definitely was not Maria`s day. Unfortunately this day was the day when she played the final at Australian Open.

Maria lost the final in straight sets: 3-6, 0-6. Even if she played well in the beginnig when she leaded 2-0 with a break in the first set, her game collapsed and the score says it all.

Overall, a good performance for the first tournament that Maria played this year and what a tournament, a Grand Slam.
After this good performance Maria is No. 3 in WTA rankings.

We are looking forward to see Maria on February 4th in Moscow where she will play for team Russia against Spain in Fed Cup - World Group First Round.


Photo: zimbio.com


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Maria vs Kvitova (PHOTO)

Photos: zimbio.com

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Fantastic !!!

Unbelievable !!! Maria defeated Kvitova in semifinals at Australian Open and she is once again in the final at Australian Open. What a great performance !!!

After 2 hours and 12 minutes, Maria won against Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in 3 sets: 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 and she is one step away from her second title here and a big return to the first place in WTA rankings !
The serve was not so good, she made 10 double-faults and had no aces. But she played better than the opponent the crucial points.

Maria made the first break of the match at 1-1, but Kvitova recovered fast to make 2-2 early in the first set. After that, Maria won 3 games in a row to make 5-2 and she won the set, 6-2.

The second set, Maria lost her serve and Kvitova leaded 3-0, in the end she lost the set, 6-3.

The third set, Kvitova breaks first to lead 2-1, but Maria had a fast rebreak  and the situation was tied.. At 4-4 were some crucial points when Maria was leaded on her serve, but in the end she managed to win her game, 5-4. After that relief, Maria made the break and won the match, with 6-4 in the last set.

So, the next step is the final. Maria will play in the last act against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. Their last match was last year in Rome, when Maria won the trophy. The overall score between Maria and Azarenka is tied at 3.


Photo: zimbio.com


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Quarter-final inverview

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Maria in semis

If wee look on the score (6-2, 6-3) we can say that Maria had an easy match, but against Makarova was a tough exam. Even if the match against Ekatirna Makarova was difficult, Maria played awsome and completes the semifinals schedule of this Australian Open.

So, Maria won in straight set against Makarova even if her opponent made a break in the second set and leaded Maria 2-1, but she managed to recover that and made a re-break immediately.

Overall, a very good match for Maria. Strong performance.

In semifinals, Maria will play against Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic. Kvitova leads Maria (2-1) on head to head series. Their last match was in Tokyo, when Maria was forced to retire because of an ankle injury.


Photo: zimbio.com


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Maria vs Lisicki (PHOTO)

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4th Round Invterview

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Maria in quarter-final

Even if Lisicki took for the first time a set against Maria, she was beaten again. Maria defeated Sabine Lisicki of Germany in 3 sets this time: 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 after 2 hours and 15 minutes. So, it was the first time that Maria lost a set this year in Melbourne.

The number of double-faults worried me a little bit, but overall Maria played well and she deserves 100% to be in quarters.

Speaking of quarter-final, Maria will play in this phase for the first time since 2008 when she won the trophy against Ekaterina Makarova, who eliminated Serena Williams, so big surprise !

Maria played against Makarova last year, two times in Madrid and Rome and in both matches Maria won. So, 2-0 is the overall score between Maria and Makarova.


Photo: zimbio.com


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3rd Round Interview

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Maria vs Kerber (PHOTO)

Photos: zimbio.com


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Maria advnaces

Maria is in 4th Round at Australian Open after a strong victory against Angelique Kerber of Germany. Maria won once again in straight sets: 6-1, 6-2 after one hour and 27 minutes.

So, another great victory in Melbourne, a victory that make us confident for the next important matches that will come.

And speaking of next matches, in 4th Round Maria will play against Sabine Lisicki. So, another german opponent for Maria.
Maria has two victories against Lisicki, both of them obtained last year, at Wimbledon (6-4, 6-3) and Miami (6-2, 6-0).

So, 2-0 is the overall score between Maria and Lisicki.


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About 2012

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Two

Yes. Just two games lost Maria in two matches, here at Australian Open. She won her 2nd Round match against Jamie Hampton with the same score that she won against Gisela Dulko: 6-0, 6-1.

Maria won against Hampton 8 games in a row and after only one hour and four minutes she is in 3rd Round.

In 3rd Round, Maria will play against Angelique Kerber of Germany. This will be the fist match between Maria and Kerber.


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1st Round interview

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Crushing victory

Maria stepped forward at Australian Open after she defeated Gisela Dulko in straight sets: 6-0, 6-1 after less than one hour (58 minutes).

Awsome victory, the score says it all.

In 2nd Round, Maria will play against Jamie Hampton of USA. This will be the first match between them.


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Maria@Players party in Melbourne

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Pre-Tournament interview

Q.  How is the body feeling at the moment?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah, good.  I've been in Melbourne for some time now.  Came here a little bit early.  I was thinking of maybe playing a tournament the week before.  Just thought it would be good to stay here and train and get ready.

I wasn't really in a hurry to go and play a tournament when I didn't feel like, you know, I had enough practice and all.

But, yeah, it's been really good.  The body feels really good.

Q.  You had a set on Margaret Court.
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah, it was good.  I spoke to Craig Tiley a week ago and he mentioned the Kids' Day, if somehow I wanted to be involved in it.  I knew there was little doubles and stuff going on.  I knew I hadn't played a lot of matches.  I thought it would be great if I could go out and play a set.  It was good.

Q.  Is the ankle healed right now or are you unsure of some moves?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah, it's healed pretty well.  It just didn't heal as fast as I thought it would.

But, yeah, it feels good now.

Q.  Are you worried about lacking matches and starting your season in a Grand Slam?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  I prefer to be going into the first Grand Slam healthy, not necessarily thinking that I've not played a lot of matches.  To me health is the most important.

Q.  There's a lot of the top players carrying injuries coming into this tournament.  Is that a little unusual?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Uhm, I'm not sure.  You know, it's a pretty tough sport.  We play for many months out of the year.  My injury was a sprained ankle, so it was a little bit unlucky.  Everyone has a few nagging injuries.  It's just part of our careers.  It's just how we go about it and try to heal it at fast as possible.

Q.  Does it make it any easier to deal with?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  To be honest, I think everyone's really selfish and just thinking about themselves (laughter).  I'll be really honest with you.

Q.  Does that include yourself?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yes, yes, yes (smiling).

Q.  You have the younger players on the tour emerging and some of the older players like Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters.  You're in the middle.  Where do you feel like you fit in?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Do I need to feel like I fit in, placement on the grid?

Q.  How do you see the battle between the younger and older players and where you fit into that?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Uhm, define 'young'.

Q.  Early 20s, Kvitova, Wozniacki.
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Because 24 is not past 25, so I would say that's still kind of early 20s.  I just woke up a couple weeks ago and I thought to myself, When I was 18, I'd be thinking, Gosh, would I still be playing at 25.  Wow, seven years.  But now I'm 24 and I wake up and I still feel like I have so many more years ahead of me.

Q.  Do you remember your first year here?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  In the juniors or in pros?

Q.  In the juniors even.
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah, I remember losing in the final of the juniors and not being too happy about it.

Q.  Just coming to Australia, what type of person were you, what type of player?  What was the experience like?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah, at that age it's all about experience.  I don't think there's really a bad experience you can have.  When you're at that point in your career, you're just learning and everything is coming to you.  You win or lose, you're benefitting from all of it.  You learn if you lose the matches.  If you win, you improve your ranking and so on, people notice you and all that.

Yeah, it was an important time in my career 'cause those were the years where I kind of went from the juniors and started playing more pros.  It's a pretty important transition for any player.

Q.  Wozniacki was saying when she first came here she was 13.  You got to be around the stars.  Did you ever feel that way, wide eyed, not thinking, Oh, my God, there's Steffi or Monica?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Was Steffi still playing then?

Q.  No, sorry.  She stopped in '99.
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Actually I had that experience more so growing up in Florida and going to the Miami tournament every year.  I remember my parents and I would drive down just to go and see the matches.

I actually preferred going and seeing the men playing.  I remember loving going to Marcelo Rios' matches and having a good laugh, watching some fun tennis, Kafelnikov as well.  Yeah, that was my real experience where I wasn't there to play but just to see the players and to watch tennis.

Q.  It's hard for us to get an understanding who the favorite might be on the women's side of things.  We don't know how bad all the injuries are.  Do you see as a competitor somebody that stands out?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Is it any different than other years?

Q.  Probably not.  But there were four different Grand Slam winners last year.  It's tough to get a read on it.
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  You just want me to help you with that?

Q.  Yes.
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  That's a tough one because we all come in here trying to be as prepared as we can.  This is the start of a new year for us.  We're coming off a little bit of an off‑season where we're training on the things maybe we feel we needed to improve.  It just kind of gives us time to settle down and get away from the tour life for a little bit.  This is just where it begins.

I think it's not just for you or anyone in this room, but for me, too, it's cool to see how everyone comes out of it, where they are, where they're playing, where their level is.

Q.  What was it like when you went to Miami as a player?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  First time I went to Miami as a player, they had like a junior version of the Miami tournament.  I think it was maybe eight girls.  I remember playing Gisela Dulko in the finals of this tournament actually.  We had quite the battle, one of those Court 17s or something.

Yeah, I think I won.  Maybe I lost.  I don't know.  I remember it was three sets because it was probably the longest junior match I ever played.

Yeah, it's all experience.  Like I said, that's one of the most important transitional stages as a tennis player, from the juniors going to the pros.

Q.  Is it fair to say that 2008 when you won here was the best level you ever had?
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  I think throughout a two‑week stage, for sure.  No matter who you are, it's pretty tough to have a high level over seven matches in 14 days.  You're bound to have some letdowns, maybe conditions, your opponent, maybe just not a good day.  I actually thought the final was probably one of the worst matches I played in the whole couple of weeks as far as level goes.

But, yeah, it was the toughest draw that I think I ever had in my career, as well, so...

Q.  Then your level over the last year compared to 2008 at times.
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  I think my level was much more consistent than where I saw it at the couple years before that, you know, following the shoulder surgery.  It was a big step for me in the right direction.  We talked about all my changes that I made in the beginning of the year, new coach, new racquet.  Obviously a lot of uncertainty.  One level where I wasn't going up or down.  It's tough.  You make those changes and you want to benefit from them, but you're not quite sure when and how.

Yeah, I didn't really start the year off on the best note.  I lost here in the fourth round.  I got sick playing Paris.  Didn't play in Fed Cup.  It was kind of, Where is this going?  Then all of a sudden things clicked because ultimately when you put in the work, it's going to pay off.  Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not in one week, but maybe in many months.


Q.  Can you talk about the things that you've been working on in your game now.
MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah, I mean, for me it's just being aggressive and finding ways to move forward and finishing the points closer to the net.  I mean, if I'm running around and playing 10‑, 20‑ball rallies, it usually means I'm not playing my game.

You know, first ball after the serve, being aggressive on the return, the first balls are very important.  Yeah, things like that, moving forward, getting faster, yeah.


Text: www.mariasharapova.com


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Australian Open 2012 Draw

Maria is seeded No. 4 and in the 1st Round at Australian Open will play against Gisela Dulko of Argentina.

Gisela Dulko is number 67th in WTA rankings and won the last match against Maria at Wimbledon in 2009, but Maria leads the series 2-1.

If Maria wins the match against Dulko, in 2nd Round will play either Mandy Minella of Luxembourg or a qualifier.


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Preparing for 1st Round

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Aussie Open dress

Photos: www.tennis-warehouse.com


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Maria@GDF Suez

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Practice session (PHOTO)

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Preparing for Australian Open

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