Sharapova eyes a return to the top
by MATTHEW CRONIN, FOXSports.com
Pacific Life Open
But the 20-year-old Sharapova will never deny herself an opportunity to think positively about her chances, and when FOXSports.com asked her whether she could boldly go where the greatest women's player ever, Steffi Graf, did back in 1988, when the German won the Golden Slam (all four majors plus the Olympics), she hesitated, but wouldn't count herself out.
"Lets not get carried away," Sharapova said with a laugh. "Winning 14 matches in a row doesn't mean I'm going to win the Golden Slam. But anything is possible. I don't know if I'm ready and capable of doing it, but it can happen."
While three-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 Sharapova cannot be counted out of anything due to her fighting spirit and much-improved game, winning the year's five biggest tournaments with a deep, ambitious field around her seems almost unattainable, especially since she's never been a great clay court player (the French Open is played on dirt) and has gone through fits trying to keep healthy over the past two years.
And even though the Russian has looked dominant this year, not losing a match and winning the Australian Open, two matches in Fed Cup and the title in Doha, there are a handful of terrific players eyeing the same major titles.
One of those is Serbian Ana Ivanovic, another 20-year-old who has grabbed the world No. 2 ranking and no longer feels that she's still too immature to make a serious charge at No. 1 — Sharapova bested the charismatic Ivanovic in the Australian Open final, but Ivanovic is the top seed at this week's Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells, Calif., and says that she's very close to hitting her top form.
Current No. 1 Justine Henin, who is skipping the tournament, must be wary of Ivanovic, as must the fifth-ranked Sharapova, who is the hottest player right now, but still has a lot of ground to make up after a mediocre first seven months of 2007.
"Obviously being second in world, that's as close as you can get," Ivanovic said. "I learned in Australia that I have a few things (to) improve, but it's possible now and I believe in it. Everything I do is to achieve my goal of becoming No. 1. This year will be interesting because so many girls are playing better and it will be tough for Justine to remain in that position. It's going to be a huge competition for that position."
Tennis is to some degree a cyclical sport, but players must work hard not to be thrown out of the elite orbit. Henin utterly dominated the second half of 2007, losing only one match from late May on. But now, after Sharapova stomped her in Australia, there is thought permeating the locker room that the super-creative Belgian is ripe for a fall.
"It can't last forever," world No. 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova said. "People play one year well and then not. It's very hard to stay at the top. Maria was injured and then had some rest and she started strong, is focused and playing well."
But as Sharapova says, one three-month period of excellent health and tremendous form does not guarantee an automatic rise back to the top. She's been through way too much in her five years on tour to think that she'll just cruise through the rest of the season. She flew 48,000 miles from the start of the year through early March and that's not easy on anyone's body.
But she's making sure to have a little fun in between intense training sessions, attending the premier of "10,000 BC" last week with her close friend, actress Camille Belle, who had the lead role in the film.
"Apart form getting sick during Doha, everything has held up well, but this year is very young," Sharapova said. "The flying was insane, and it does feel like it. But I'm just in a happy place in my career and in my life."
Ivanovic feels much the same way, even though, like Sharapova, when she's in great mood, her bright smile and personality can captivate a room like a beaming Angelina Jolie strolling down the red carpet.
Even when she's talking about emotionally trying losses, like her 7-5, 6-3 defeat to Sharapova in the Australian Open final, the Serbian is engaging and energetic. You can literally feel her pain when she discusses what went wrong in Melbourne.
"That game at 5-4, I had chances and I made the wrong shot with a drop shot," she said. "I thought it was great idea at time, but it did not turn out too good. Maria is great champion and against those players, you have to use opportunities a little different.''
If Ivanovic wants to achieve No. 1 this year, she will more than likely have to win a Grand Slam title. But that's not her dream. She'd rather bring home a gold medal to tiny Serbia.
"It would be amazing," she said. "I would rather take a gold meal over the Slam this year because its only once in every four years and there are so few opportunities to do it."
While the tall brunette would certainly look good carrying the Serbian flag on the opening day of ceremonies, she'd rather take a pass and let her good friend and countryman, the zany Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, lead the procession
"He's the showman," Ivanovic said. "But I really hope he'll just carry it and not make any jokes. But he might take his shirt off. I'd love to do it, but he'll put his hand up first."
Sharapova will almost certainly be part of the large Russian contingent in Beijing, too. But first things first for both she and Ivanovic: wrestling the Pacific Life Open trophy from the soft and capable hands of defending champion Daniela Hantuchova.
Sharapova says she's fresh and rested and ready to retake the crown she won in 2006, while Ivanovic seems eager to tee it up immediately.
"I have to stay with these top girls for a longer period of time and handle their pace better," she said. "I can't be afraid. That's what the champion (does)."
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