French Open: Sloane Stephens finds replacement, Maria Sharapova blossoms in her mother tongue

The ladies have reached the round of 16 in Roland Garros. Also Maria Sharapova and Sloane Stephens. A local inspection at the press conferences.

By Jens Huiber from Paris

There is only one Rudi Völler. But there are at least two Sloane Stephens. From Nuremberg, the customer touched on the fact that the US Open winner of the past year had not been particularly supportive of information and had not appreciated the stopover in Franconia with the necessary seriousness.

In Roland Garros? Sloane is an unbelievable charming man, the press conference after her success against Camilia Giorgi is not well attended, but of great entertainment value. Especially when Miss Stephens is asked about her leisure activities in Paris. There would have been something about ice cream on the Champs Elysees.

Well, she was deeply shocked that her favorite ice cream parlour no longer existed, Sloane said. Luckily, however, she found a replacement in a shopping centre. Your recognition in public? Well, she wouldn’t say she’s running around like a homeless person, but… she wouldn’t have more than four sweatshirts. These would be subject to a rotation, nobody would think that one of the best tennis players in the world would get mad.

According to confirmed information, there is only one version of Maria Sharapova – the highly professional. The double Paris winner works in front of a larger auditorium, of course also in the largest interview room. Max Eisenbud, their manager, welcomes Sharapova with an intimate embrace.

Johnathan Pinfield, the favourite among the journalists and new best friend of Alexander Zverev, likes to refer to Sharapova’s autobiography, is rewarded with a rather short answer.

The players may only sometimes look ahead in the grid, the reporters gathered there do not hold back. And so at least half of the questions are about Serena Williams. Who’s waiting in the round of 16. The respect is great, this is also the matches for which Maria in “friggin´”. (ha!) Bradenton invested so many training hours.

The chance that Maria Sharapova will visit the Louvre unrecognized is rather small. However, the desire to understand the Russian language increases in the second part of the press conference: Sharapova seems much more relaxed in her conversation with her countrymen than in the English part.

Maybe there are two Maria Sharapovas after all.