Former world No.1 Maria Sharapova, now ranked 61st, declared that her troubled shoulder had fully healed and that she was ready to play competitively for the first time since her second-round loss at Wimbledon.
“I am a hundred percent,” Sharapova said Wednesday night before making an appearance for the Newport Beach Breakers in their World Team Tennis match against Kansas City.
“I mean, if I wasn’t at that point, I certainly wouldn’t be playing. That’s why I took my time and gave myself a chance to really go out there and to feel like I didn’t have any excuses.”
Despite the favorable outcome of the recovery from the career-threatening injury, Sharapova’s shoulder will continue to demand extra attention.
“It’s not something you just stop when it feels good,” said the Russian. “You have to keep working on it. You have to keep getting it stronger.
“For the rest of my career I’ll be doing shoulder exercises. It won’t be as fun as I want it to be. It’s all a routine. But everyone has to do it. Everyone has injuries. It’s part of the game.”
Sharapova is scheduled to play the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California, followed by the tournament in Los Angeles and the US Open. (source: ESPN, photo: Ralf Reinecke)
It’s really nice to see that she’s fit and feeling confident. And apparently the results are starting to show as well, she cruised on her 3 matches at the World Team Tennis Event (women’s singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles). She played 3 matches in a row. ;o
However I don’t know what to say about her wearing a headband *roll-eyes*.
Teerin, I have to say I had you in mind when writing this post. 🙂 It would’ve been a shame if you hadn’t have commented on it. 😀
Aw, of course I must comment, it’s Maria-related article. I would have comment about Maria if it wasn’t Maria-related article anyway. 😀
Thanks for having me in mind while you wrote about Maria. 😛
Okay, a little update, if you don’t mind Marija. 😀
Maria’s draw for East of the West Bank classic have been released a few moments ago. It’s delayed, and I was a little mad, since I’m staying up waiting for it and it’s now 4 AM. 😛 I thought I’d have to wait until the sun comes up though.
It’s a pretty okay draw for an unseeded player. Li Na is in much worse situation even though she ranks higher than Maria, she faces Serena in the first round. But of course, they’re equal if they’re unseeded. 😛
However, don’t you find it ironic that Maria is always drawn against Petrova in every single tournament they played together? Petrova is her possible opponent in the second round. Seriously, if she gets Petrova again in the future, I have to do a little ranting on their Facebook. 😛
Of course I don’t mind!
Teerin, aren’t you exaggerating the thing with Petrova? I checked their head-to-head, and it’s not like that.
Maria is scheduled to play Petrova 3 times out of 3 tournaments this year, in 2009. I’m only talking about 2009 though. 😛
Maria and Maria looks cute together, she was practicing for Stanford:
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k118/cozmoose/DSC08782.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k118/cozmoose/DSC08785.jpg
Wait, Teerin, when was the second time? I don’t remember… We had the French Open matchup, and which other?
Oh, I love Kirilenko’s shorts.
Notice the guy next to her, he’s Maria’s trainer or physio or Michael’s assistant or someone. He looks better than Charlie. But it seems Maria and Charlie are still together, Maria advertised him on her latest doodle saying something about his show. And she still have that ring. 😛
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k118/cozmoose/DSC08780.jpg
Anyway, Maria and Nadia were scheduled to meet in Wimbledon, but since Maria lost to Gisela, it was Nadia and Gisela who played instead.
Ah, ok. I see.
Well, from what I can see from this photo (and it’s not much :)) he does look better than Charlie.