Marion Bartoli on Maria Sharapova’s father

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Marion Bartoli was talking about her father Walter’s influence on her and she spontaneously, and bluntly, compared Walter to Maria Sharapova’s father Yuri.

He didn’t put any pressure on me. He wasn’t saying, ‘You have to win,’ or ‘You have to do this or you have to do that’. He’s not like Maria Sharapova’s dad. It’s completely different.

Haha, well, Yuri looks tough. I will never forget the way he left the stands when Maria was losing to Agnieszka Radwanska at the 2007 US Open. I felt sorry for Maria who had to face him after the defeat, I would’ve been terrified.

Comments

10 responses to “Marion Bartoli on Maria Sharapova’s father”

July 17, 2008

charlie

ohh come on he is not that bad .. he is not and ogre and maria loves him.. he is a little bit strict but he looks like a nice person..
July 20, 2008

Gave

I know he may act like one on court but I guess after all that, he will be like a typical father to her daughter. The good thing is, he doesn’t have a big mouth like other tennis parents have. Besides, life is not all about tennis, right? Surely, they have that kind of good relationship as a father and a daughter off court.
July 20, 2008

Gave

… And one more thing, I don’t think it’s proper to name somebody to compare your father to him, especially if your citing a negative example!!!
July 21, 2008

Diane

“he is a little bit strict but he looks like a nice person..”

Several players have witnessed his standing in Maria’s face and literally screaming at her because she didn’t win. I don’t know if he still does it, but there have been too many witnesses for it not to be true. He has been very, very hard on Maria.
July 23, 2008

theo

oh, shut it!

yuri’s a nice dad, what more can u ask for?

he’s always there for her; they have their way of communication

u cant just pick on little bits and pieces and misinterpret it then think that’s right
July 24, 2008

Diane

If you’re speaking rudely to ME, Theo, please know that I agree with you. However, multiple witnesses over time do not constitute “little bits and pieces.” They constitute evidence.

If you’re not speaking to me, that’s even better.
July 24, 2008

theo

i was referring to marion…

i also agree with u diane

it’s hard to pick a side in this situation

maria loves her dad the way he is,

and other ppl just stated the truth they thought they had witnessed

but I just dont feel good when i saw other players talked her father like that
July 24, 2008

Diane

I understand, Theo, but the thing is–so many players have said the same thing–not just Marion.

And I’m sure Maria loves her Dad, but that doesn’t necessarily make him a good dad. In all fairness, though, he does seem to have calmed down and backed off–at least from the viewpoint of people who see him on TV. I’m sure he’s very devoted to Maria, but in the past, he has seemed a bit TOO devoted. I found him frightening when she won Wimbledon, but he seems different now. Also, Maria is older now and probably has more autonomy.

Thanks for clearing this up–sorry I thought you might be yelling at me. I have come to expect the worst of Web forums 🙂
July 24, 2008

theo

u r welcome;

I know exactly what u mean abt web forums

yeah, I think u r right

just one thing:

maria loves him, that just doesnt make him a PERFECT dad

I think he’s a competent dad,

he’s nice, u can see that in his interview

he has such a gentle soft voice

and he cries like a baby when maria won wimbly

and I like the idea maria has a wondeful dad

he could love her the way she deserves

I dont want to picture anything not nice happening on her

she now has all the power she could have

if he were that bad she could have easily escaped away from him,
August 14, 2008

Zak

Hm, maybe if Bartoli’s dad was a little bit more like Yuri she might have half the success that Maria has had.
How dare she say anything like that when she’s not a good player who’s name is only known because of one lucky streak to the final of Wimbledon. When she becomes as successful and well known and a good a tennis player as Maria (yeah right) then she can say something about Yuri. For now, she should just shut her mouth.