TENNIS US OPEN 2014 – 24th of August 2014. An interview with Maria Sharapova
Q. How does it feel to be a candy magnate? Anything new we should know? Dennis give you a tough time about it? Anything sugar free?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Sugar free? With a name Sugarpova I don’t think I will be doing anything sugar free very soon. There is your answer.
Q. Is your game where you were expecting at this moment, or are you still searching for…
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think if there is a time to bring the game that I want to, it’s definitely now (smiling) for the next few weeks. I wasn’t happy with the way I started the hard court season. As the weeks progress, I’m certainly feeling better. It was great to have this week of practice here. You know, the courts are a little bit faster again, so it was good to come here a little bit early and to get that time on the courts. But overall, yeah, I think little by little things will shape into place.
Q. Do you prefer at this point a faster hard court or a slower hard court with your game and how it’s evolved?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think a faster court can have a higher bounce or a slower court can have a lower bounce. It always depends on the place and the weather. I don’t think I have ever really had a preference on hard court. I actually like when the court is a bit faster.
Q. What are your thoughts on your first-round opponent, your history with her and the path her career has taken?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, she hasn’t played in a while. That’s what I know. But I also know we have had a lot of tough matches in the past. She’s a very dangerous opponent, someone that’s capable of playing really great tennis. She’s beaten me before in her career. Yeah, I’ll definitely have to be ready.
Q. What is it that makes her dangerous? What is it about the way she plays?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, she makes you hit a lot of balls. She’s a great mover on the court. She uses a bit of variety, as well, in her game. But I guess we’ll see on Monday.
Q. When there is down time on the court. You’ll walk, turn around, have a quiet moment. What goes on in those quiet moments?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: It depends on the situation and what is going on in the match. If you’re doing well, it’s just kind of the inner voice to keep going and keep that focus. If you feel like you have had a bit of a drop and you lost that, it’s words of encouragement or it’s a time to just yell at yourself within yourself. It just depends on the situation.
Q. You mentioned your first opponent, Kirilenko, hasn’t played for a while. Do you see that as an advantage coming into the match?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, you never know, because I think it’s also an opportunity for someone like that to come in and have no expectations because they haven’t really played a match and to go out and swing away and not put, you know, a lot on yourself, not expect much from yourself. Sometimes that’s a very dangerous opponent.
Q. Ten-year anniversary last time you played mixed doubles here.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh. What a stat (laughter). That’s why we have journalists, for stats.
Q. I don’t expect you to be entering this year, but if you were, who would your partner be at this point in your career?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Can we bring Johnny Mack back? Okay, I’d love that.
Q. He would do it.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Not with me probably.
Q. He would.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I’m a little — I have too much focus on the court for him. Maybe he’d bring out my wild side. I don’t know.
Q. What would that look like?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I’m not sure (laughter).
