Archive for the 'Maria Sharapova' Category

Sharapova fans had some hope after Maria beat Venus Williams in third round play of the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida. But sister Serena Williams made short work of Sharapova in the quarterfinal round, crushing the top seed in two quick sets (6-1, 6-1). Williams is seeded 13th; if she goes all the way this will be her fourth Key Biscayne title. Sharapova has yet to win a tournament this year.

And in men’s action right now in Key Biscayne, Cañas is kicking Federer’s (rhymes with Cañas) again as well. Cañas fought to win a tough first game 7-6. This may turn out to be the season for competitive men’s tennis, stay tuned.

The underdog reigns supreme at Indian Wells this year. In women’s play, three of the four top seeds have been defeated in the initial rounds of the tournament. In fact, six of eight matches in the fourth round went to the player that was ranked lower. Maria Sharapova lost to Vera Zvonareva and will lose her world number one ranking as well now. Zvonareva was seeded 15th.

Even in the first two sets I didn’t feel like I was playing amazing tennis. After [I served for the match] I just deflated a little bit. I wasn’t moving well at all; I missed a lot of first balls. That obviously gives your opponent so much confidence. She just started swinging and wasn’t making a lot of errors. There was a lot of wrong things going on today. That was just one of them — especially in the third set. But like I said, it was more of a snowball effect than anything else.”
– Maria Sharapova

In the women’s quarterfinals, Zvonareva will face China’s Na Li (12th seed). Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia (14th seed) takes on Shahar Peer of Israel (11th seed).

Many professional tennis players practice yoga to help improve their game. For centuries, regular yoga practice has been proven to develop balance, flexibility, stamina, and strength.

Tennis is a mental sport as well as a physical one, and the meditation involved in yoga can help train the mind to relax and improve concentration during matches. Imagine being able to channel all of your energy into your serve. Even the breath control associated with yoga can benefit your game by helping you to relax and focus.

Typically, tennis players tend to have tight hamstrings, quads, and hips, and these specific yoga poses can help: Warrior II (virabhadrasana II), Tree (vrksasana), Triangle (trikonasana), and Spinal Twist (ardha matsyendrasana).

If you want to check out Maria Sharapova’s secret weapon, she uses Sybel’s Yoga for Sports & Fitness DVD regularly to relax and improve her flexibility.

World number one Maria Sharapova doesn’t limit her goodness to tennis, today she was appointed goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), pledging to support their fight against world poverty. The 19-year-old Russian tennis star also donated $100,000 to recovery projects in rural areas in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine still impacted by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.

“My first step is to focus on the Chernobyl-affected region, where my family has roots,” Sharapova explained. “Today, it is poverty and lack of opportunities that pose the greatest threat for young people in the Chernobyl region.” As an ambassador, Sharapova will help to promote international efforts to reduce poverty and achieve improvements in the areas of education, health, women’s rights, and sanitation.

It’s official, Serena Williams has defeated Maria Sharapova in a mere 63 minutes to win her third Australian Open singles title and eighth Grand Slam. Final score, 6-1, 6-2. To say that Serena spanked Sharapova would be a severe understatement. Sharapova could neither serve nor return the ball, Williams could do nothing but, therein lies the rub. Serena severely punished her opponent throughout the match, maintaining total control despite suffering a blow from the ball in the first set. Okay, time for me to begin reviewing those Gonzalez tapes.

Williams is up 2-0 in the second and possibly decisive set in the 2007 Australian Open women’s final. She just served at 122 mph, the fastest serve clocked during the championship. Though Williams did double fault at deuce in the last game, she is playing close to flawless, choreographing Sharapova’s every step for her. C’mon, MS, move those feet!!

We’re seeing big hitting on one side of the net anyway. Sharapova is literally running to keep up. Except for the shot where Maria actually hit Serena with the ball in the stomach… and the momentum shifted, albeit temporarily. Sharapova managed to win only a game in the first set, ending it 6-1.

Underdog Serena Williams is thoroughly dominating Maria Sharapova in the first set (3-0) winning the last game 40-love. Williams’s opening serve was 155 kmh, Sharapova’s was 181 kmh. Williams had the first ace, clocked at 197 kmh. Each of these women is on a 13 match win streak, one won’t make it to 14… Maria, get in that game, girl!!

As part of the excitement leading up to tonight’s 2007 Australian Open women’s finals match, let’s review the ladies’ stats thus far. Below we list the facts on both Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams, as well as their opponents and scores so far in the tournament. If the opponent’s name appears in green you can link to a quick review of that particular match.

And now… in the first corner… 59 kilograms of Russia’s finest, we have…

MISS MARIA SHARAPOVA
Age: 19
Birthplace: Nyagan, Siberia
Height: 6′2″ or 1.88 meters
Weight: 130 pounds or 59 kilograms
Career Titles: 15
Current World Ranking: 2
Australian Open Draw: First seed

First Round: Camille Pin (France) 6-3, 4-6, 9-7
Second Round: Anastassia Rodionova (Russia) 6-0, 6-3
Third Round: Tathiana Garbin (Italy) 6-3, 6-1
Fourth Round: Vera Zvonareva (Russia) 7-5, 6-4
Quarterfinals: Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) 7-6, 7-5
Semifinals: Kim Clijsters (Belgium) 6-4, 6-2

And in the opposing corner… weighing in at 61 kilograms… from the United States of America…

MISS SERENA WILLIAMS
Age: 25
Birthplace: Saginaw, Michigan
Height: 5′10″ or 1.75 meters
Weight: 135 pounds or 61 kilograms
Career titles: 26
Current World Ranking: 81
Australian Open Draw: Unseeded

First Round: Mara Santangelo (Italy) 6-2 6-1
Second Round: Anne Kremer (Luxembourg) 7-6 6-2
Third Round: Nadia Petrova (Russia) 1-6 7-5 6-3
Fourth Round: Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) 6-3 6-2
Quarterfinals: Shahar Peer (Israel) 3-6 6-2 8-6
Semifinals: Nicole Vaidisova (Czechoslovakia) 7-6 6-4

Attention, tennis fans! Tomorrow night Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams compete to win the year’s first Grand Slam victory, the Australian Open, in what looks to be one killer match.

One half of the draw worked out, Sharapova is the number one seed and expected to win her bracket. Sharapova demolished Clijsters (6-4, 6-2) to gain her spot in the finals. If she wins tomorrow evening, this will be her first Australian Open championship.

The other half of the draw couldn’t be further from predictions; Williams was not only unseeded entering the tournament, she was ranked 81st in the world. She is the first unseeded woman to make the Aussie Open finals in eight years. If Williams wins, she will be the first unseeded player to win the women’s singles at the Australian Open since 1978. Williams wore the crown here in both 2003 and 2005.