Maria Sharapova – Wimbledon Ladies’ Tennis Player

Maria Sharapova of Russia plays Venus Williams of USA during the fourth round of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, in south London, 04 July 2007 Russian glamour girl and the darling of the media, Maria Sharapova, has had mixed results for her 2008 season. After winning the Australian Open, she suffered a shocking loss at Wimbledon 2008. The current number three in the world was knocked out of the tournament in the second round by Alla Kudryavtseva - who ranked 159 at the time!

In 2007 Sharapova was given a reprieve at the WTA Sony Ericsson Championships when the eighth and final competitor, Venus Williams was forced to pull out of the tournament because of injury.

This opened a window of opportunity for the attractive blonde who was granted Venus’ vacant spot. She defied all odds by beating Daniela Hantuchova (no. 9), Svetlana Kuznetsova (no.2) and Ana Ivanovic (no.4) to reach the final of the event.

In 12th longest open era match, Belgian, Justine Henin rallied to beat an in-form Sharapova in three sets, 5-7 7-5 6-3. The match lasted three hours and 24 minutes.

What made the match even more remarkable is that Sharapova had been out of tennis for two months due to her recurring shoulder injury. Although she did not claim the title, she showed ability and tenacity by coming back with such strength.

Sharapova has won two Grand Slams – Wimbledon in 2004 and the US Open in 2006. What made her victory at the All England Club so impressive is that she entered the tournament as a wild card. She took on and conquered Ai Sugiyama, Lindsay Davenport and the indomitable Serena Williams to become the third-youngest Wimbledon ladies’ champion (after Lottie Dod and Martina Hingis).

From mid-2004 until her appearance at Wimbledon 2005, Sharapova had won 22 straight matches on grass. An in-form Venus Williams crushed the hapless Russian, 7-6, 6-1, in the semi-final, ending Sharapova’s impressive winning streak. Even though she was unable to claim the Wimbledon crown, she rose to the number one ranking in the world.

2006 saw her second defeat in the semi-finals at the tournament in London. Maria Sharapova, Wimbledon ladies’ tennis player, fell to eventual champion Amelie Mauresmo, 6-3 3-6 6-2. The 2006 season was undoubtedly her best. She was a semi-finalist at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, won the US Open, the Masters Series Indian Wells, San Diego and Zurich, ended the season ranked second and had an overall win/loss record of 59-9.

The majority of 2007 was very ordinary for the 20-year-old. She reached the final of the Australian Open, only to be easily beaten by Serena Williams, 6-1 6-2. She then went on to reach the semis at Roland Garros for the first time, but fell to Ana Ivanovic without a fight, 6-2 6-1.

She had an indifferent Wimbledon 2007, where she lost to eventual winner Venus Williams in the fourth round. It was the first time she had lost in a Grand Slam fourth round! The rest of the season was fraught with injury and uncharacteristic wobbly serves and double faults. She had an awful US Open where she was defeated by relative unknown Agnieszka Radwanska in the third round. She had 12 double faults and 49 unforced errors in the match!

Ladies Wimbledon tennis player, Alla Kudryavtsev, caused Sharapova's earliest exit of the tournament in straight sets 6-2 and 6-4 in the second round of Wimbledon 2008.

Sharapova is aiming for a better season going into 2009 and all things being equal there is no reason why the Russian superstar cannot come back to claim the ladies’ singles crown for a second time Wimbledon 2009.