Maria Sharapova has been back for almost a year – with mixed results. Has she imagined her comeback easier? What do you expect from the newcomers of the tour? And what’s the point of their time-out? We spoke to the five-time Grand Slam winner in Indian Wells.
Maria Sharapova is in a good mood when she appears on Monday evening for the interview with tennisnet. com. She happily poses for photos of her partner Porsche in front of the dreamlike mountain scenery in Indian Wells and gives herself in the following conversation deep, answers in detail and thoughtful. She made her first appearance in Indian Wells, where she won in 2006 and 2013, against Naomi Osaka on Wednesday from 5 pm local time (2 pm CET at night on Thursday) against Naomi Osaka.
tennisnet: Mrs. Sharapova, you made an impressive comeback at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart a year ago. This was followed by injuries, early defeats, but also highlights such as your victory over Simona Halep in New York. Was the year more challenging than you thought?
Sharapova: It was an interesting way and I learned a lot. I definitely had my moments when my game was where I want it to be – but when I wanted to follow it up, my body let me down. Those were the ups and downs. If you have to take a break because of something, you lose the feeling for the competition. And for playing matches all the time, which I’ve done since I was little. This back and forth was the reason for my injuries during the clay court season. I knew my body would have to get used to everything again.
tennisnet: During your sabbatical, you have greatly improved your serve. How was that possible? After your shoulder surgery in 2008, you couldn’t serve like you used to.
Sharapova: That was a permanent process. As a teenager, my serve was a weapon. My joints in the shoulder were quite loose, so I had a good rhythm – but that was the reason for the operation. In the years that followed, I was constantly working on my serve, trying out different movements. There were times when I made a lot of mistakes, where my ball throwing was not constant. I’ve managed that better now. But there’s still air upstairs. I want to improve speed, accuracy and consistency.
tennisnet: In the regular off-season, there is usually little time to refine the game and develop further. Does an involuntary time-out in such cases have its positive side?
Sharapova: (considered) Oh, you never know. It depends on how you use the situations you find yourself in. One has to ask oneself: What is important? I definitely added a lot to my game during this break. I get more forward, play more variable. Nevertheless, you always have to work on the basics. In my case, that means: playing the ball for a long time, aggressively, challenging the opponent in this way – and that is very constant.
tennisnet: What do you say about the development of tennis in general: Men’s tennis is currently undergoing a lot of experimentation, the Davis Cup is to be reformed, there were new rules at the Next Gen Finals… Does tennis have to change or is everything all right as it is?
Sharapova: There are many considerations. At the end of the season you can always see how many injuries everyone is carrying around. Nevertheless, the calendar is getting more and more crowded. We currently have no balance, a ten-month season is too long and should be shorter. But how do you take out events that already exist? It’s a question of money, the sponsors. I don’t know if anything will happen as long as I play. Tennis is an international sport, which makes it rather tricky.
tennisnet: You published your autobiography “Unstoppable: My Life So Far” last year, in which you also wrote a lot about Serena Williams. Among other things, you believe Serena has never forgiven you for hearing her cry out loud after her 2004 Wimbledon win. How would you describe the relationship with her?
Sharapova: Over the years there has been a lot of talk about our rivalry. We come from very different backgrounds and have both found our way up the ladder. We are always seen as rivals instead of being celebrated – but that is normal in our society. As you can read in the book, I respect her incredibly for what she has achieved. And for keeping her going. I think we have a professional relationship. I wrote a lot about them because it would be very strange if one of my greatest rivals didn’t happen. I have read biographies of tennis players, and some have not even mentioned the greatest rivals. I always thought that was a bit funny (laughs).
tennisnet: Can you imagine becoming a kind of friendship with her after your career?
Sharapova: I was very fortunate to be able to build on great friendships from an early age, which are very important in many respects. The ones that helped me develop, grow. At the end of the day, Serena and I are always rivals. Even when I had never played against her before and only knew she was this phenomenal player who won Grand Slam tournaments. Already at that time I felt this competitive situation, I felt that I wanted to reach the level of beating her and her sister. We’re both big contenders. The drive to be better: that is what ultimately makes us who we are.
tennisnet: You have developed a close friendship to the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. This is where your run on clay began in 2012, winning the tournament for three consecutive years and laying the foundation for your two French Open victories.
Sharapova: It was a decisive tournament for my clay court career! I haven’t played it for a long time, but when I started to start my sand preparation there, it did “click”. It is a combination of many things: a great place in the hall, where everything is more predictable on sand. And when you have won three times, you are of course looking forward to coming back. And driving the Porsche down the ramp (laughs).
tennisnet: The next generation is also dueling for the duel in 2018. If you look at the newcomers of the last years, like Jelena Ostapenko, Sloane Stephens, Ashleigh Barty…. Who has the best chance of relieving you or Serena?
Sharapova: That’s one thing. There are many possibilities – but also many directions in which you can go. A lot of things have to go together. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, but the question is: Can they keep their level year after year? And their engines? Time will tell. But there’s a lot of talent. What Sloane Stephens has done for the US market is great: following in the footsteps of the Williams champions, winning the US Open in her own country.
tennisnet: In Indian Wells you play against one of the young savages, against Naomi Osaka, who made a great start to the year.
Sharapova: We’ve never played against each other before. She is a good player who has already won against experienced players. She’s the one you’ve had your eye on for over a year. But I want to play against these young players and challenge them. After all, they are the ones who will take our place when we stop.
The interview was conducted by Florian Goosmann in Indian Wells.