In matches with Vera Zvonareva, Maria Sharapova is traditionally a favorite, if only because she leads in personal meetings 4: 2 and won the last three matches in two sets. Nevertheless, all Sharapova fans with experience before each match with Zvonareva fall into an alarming state. If Masha is in good shape, then there is no reason for concern. Yes, Vera is fast and powerful, but Masha could say the same thing that Marta Erastovna once said to Alisa Selezneva: "My girl, you are strong, but I am stronger, you are fast, but I am faster." Both at the final tournament in 2004, and in San Diego in 2006, when Masha beat Vera, she was in good shape and then won the final. In 2007, the girls had already met on Australian Open There, Masha was not to say that in good shape, but in good shape - proof of this is the semifinal match with Kim Clijsters. But when Masha Sharapova goes to the match with Vera Zvonareva in bad shape - this is a completely different conversation. Yesterday was just such a case.
The poorly shaped Sharapova legs still grow from Tokyo. Due to a sharp change in coverage (the Tokyo tournament begins immediately after the Australian Open , and hard there is much faster than in Australia) Sharapova injured her hamstring and was forced to withdraw from the match with Ana Ivanovich, losing in the score 1: 6, 1: 0.
After that, up to Indian Wells, Masha healed the injury. Naturally, she lost her playing practice, and began to train the pitch in general only 5 days before the start of the tournament. The result - 11 doubles in the opening match with Michaela Krycek. “When you don’t play for a long time, you should not wait for an outstanding game,” Maria said. Well, let's not wait for the outstanding, we will wait just for the good. The next match with Deshi reassured a little - only 6 doubles. It’s also a lot, of course, but this is already about the level of the Australian championship, and progress is evident in comparison with the previous match. As it turned out, it was not progress, but simply a more convenient rival.
With Vera Zvonareva, Masha had 13 doubles. Of course, Sharapova lost not only because of them: on the whole, she did not look very good, she was mistaken a lot. However, even in such a disassembled state, Sharapova managed to win the first set - 6: 4, lead with a break in the second 5: 4 and apply for the match. With a score of 15:30 she had to take only 3 points to win the meeting. But with a score of 30:40, on the setball, Masha made a double mistake. This double was probably the main one, because after that Sharapova lost the third set 1: 6.
To stay first in the ranking, Masha Sharapova had to beat Vera, and then another match. And now Maria is the second, and most likely it will be for a long time. It is far from a fact that in this state she will be able to repeat last year’s finals in Miami. And Henin will definitely protect the exit to the second round. And this despite the fact that Masha again has only 5 days to feed training.
God be with him, with Miami. Most sad is another. After having been diagnosed with such difficulty and with no less difficulty cured pectoral muscle injury, after the triumph in the US Open it seemed that endless injuries were over, and Masha finally began to play her real game. But no. Masha Sharapova’s body is an extremely nutritious environment for injuries. In principle, this is understandable: a miracle child adds 12 centimeters a year, and then such physical exertion, and the power style of the game, is very traumatic. All this can be understood, can be explained, but the question, as usual, is different - when will it all end?
Ksenia VITRYAK
The story of the difficult relationship of Maria Sharapova with the first line of the rating
August 22, 2005 - Sharapova
In fact, Maria Sharapova could become the first racket of the world on August 18. To do this, it was enough to beat Daniel Hantuhova in the quarterfinals of the tournament in Los Angeles, but Maria withdrew from the match because of an injury. Then they thought it was a shoulder injury. Only by a fortunate coincidence, in the updated rating of August 22, Maria still became # 1, but now thanks to the fact that Lindsay Davenport withdrew from the tournament in Cincinnati.
August 29, 2005 - Davenport
While Mary was trying to make an accurate diagnosis, Lindsay Davenport won the tournament in New Haven and again topped the ranking.
September 12, 2005 - Sharapova
Maria Sharapova was the only one of the first three to reach the US semi-finals Open , so at the end of the tournament she returned to first place again.
October 24, 2005 - Davenport
After US Open Maria due to a shoulder injury is removed from the tournament in Beijing. Two weeks later, with the same injury, she explains the inexpressive performance at the Kremlin Cup. In Moscow, we recall, in the first mast, Maria counted a technical victory after her rival Anna-Lena Grenefeld, leading in the score 6: 1, 4: 2, turned up her leg. In the second match, Maria Sharapova lost to Dinara Safina. And Lindsay Davenport, meanwhile, won three tournaments in a row and again topped the ranking.
November 13, 2006 - Henin-Ardenne
This time, Mary, in order to become # 1, had to win Justine Henin-Ardenne in the semifinal of the final tournament. There were no injuries, Maria lost the case.
January 29, 2007 - Sharapova
Justine Henin-Ardenne starred in Australian Open due to problems with her husband, and Maria Sharapova becomes the first racket of the world automatically.
March 19, 2007 - Henin
Maria Sharapova is second again.