June 28, 2011
MARIA SHARAPOVA is homing in on a second triumph at SW19, seven years after her first.
Only somebody fiercely competitive and stubbornly proud would come back from eight months of inactivity caused by a career-threatening shoulder injury.
Only somebody who believes so passionately in herself could live with the gossip that her game had gone, that the regular double-faults she hits would put a full stop to her career.
Yesterday she revealed some of the old attacking power and flair as she overwhelmed Shuai Peng 6-4, 6-2 to go further in the draw than she has since 2006. She faces Dominika Cibulkova in the last eight today.
“My thinking now is always be ready for the next shot. After you hit a ball, instead of thinking the point is over, be prepared to hit another one and then one more,” she said. “You must always be ready to hit more balls until it doesn’t come back. I’m doing well but I know it’s only going to get tougher from here.”
“My thinking now is always be ready for the next shot”
Maria Sharapova
Asked if anything less than the title would be a satisfying result, she said: “I can only take it step by step. The beauty of tennis is that there is only one winner. If the loser isn’t disappointed, they are probably lying to your face.”
Sabine Lisicki is through after smiting another eight aces in defeating Petra Cetkovska 7-6, 6-1, with the second set lasting just 24 minutes. She has now totalled 35 aces, three less than Serena Williams, and today meets Marion Bartoli.
While Sharapova is now favourite for the title, the odds have shortened on Victoria Azarenka. She won easily against Nadia Petrova 6-2, 6-2 and will take on Tamira Paszek.
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