Maria Sharapova: As she sits at the top of the WTA ranking and quite deservedly so, few on the women’s tour stimulate such bipolar opinions. There is no middle ground when it comes to MA-SHA. You either like her or you don’t.
Leading 7-5, 5-2 and serving, she went down in three sets yesterday to her compatriot Dinara Safina. There have been quite a few Roland Garros meltdowns over the past decade, each one unique in its own way.
This was unique in the fact that the same ability that drives Sharapova’s engine as a top tennis player became her biggest nemesis, on the most grandiose of stages.
On the outside, she is a 6-foot-2 blonde who sports a Hollywood "Bond Girl" look (remember Anatop, the gorgeous Russian in "Goldeneye"?). She is a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and a self-made millionaire.
Make no mistake; she is no Anna Kournikova. At the very heart, she is a thoroughbred competitor, a three-time Grand Slam champion who was taught to compete ruthlessly from a very young age.
Winning Roland Garros would have given her the career Grand Slam, as she has won the Australian, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.
What happened yesterday was intriguing. Sharapova belongs to the Connors school of tennis; it is never just about the game they bring to the court. It is the entire package of the intense tunnel-vision focus, raging desire to win at all costs, and the true competitive spirit. Such tunnel vision, however, can be a double-edged sword.
Whenever Sharapova begins to lose control of a match, she normally elevates herself into a psychological zone of utmost concentration and determination, a zone which she had fondly termed as "Being in My Own Bubble."
It works most of the time, but when it backfires, it leaves her with nowhere else to go. Yesterday was a classic case of that. She lost the lead to surrender the second set in a tie breaker. That put her in the "bubble."
Her shrieks became louder, and she almost mentally exhausted herself by over-concentrating. With the elevated concentration and tunnel-vision focus not rendering the desired results in the middle of the third set, the raging aggression was laid bare in the middle of the Suzanne Lenglen court.
As she threaded a down-the line-forehand winner to save a break point, one could easily lip read in the middle of the standing ovation: "Kick her f’ing ###."
It was downhill from then on, she became her worst critique, berating herself mercilessly for missing regular shots that she dumped into the net. She even quite loudly berated herself as a "Choker" at one point in the third set.
With the ever volatile French crowd unreasonably jeering her, I think even Sharapova realized that there was nothing more she could do that could turn this match around. Her remorseless, self-berating determination had reached its zenith, and it rendered the exact opposite effect than it was supposed to. She eventually went down in three sets.
With the discussion boards around the world meticulously analyzing how her despicable behavior, naked aggression and overt desire to win have caused tennis to become a classless sport, I beg to differ.
For all that Roger Federer is and how he sets an impeccable, commendable example to the future generation, the Connors, Hewitts and Sharapovas also bring to the table, what we can call the very essence of the game, the naked desire to win and the willingness to perish on the court in trying to do so.
There are many different pathways to the same destination, one not necessarily better or worse than the other. It is almost extremely inane to be infuriated with her behavior and ask her to change the way she is. It takes all kinds to make a melting pot.
I quite admire the way she responded when asked about the French crowd’s feelings.
"The crowd’s feelings?" she responded. "You guys crack me up. I cannot please everyone; it’s not in my job description."
Honest but fair. It is almost illogical to expect someone to care about an entity that made their life miserable an hour ago. I would have responded with the same callous indifference.
As far as her obsession to win and lack of effort to conceal it on court being questioned: It is just her, it is what makes her. It is her very essence, what she is and what she has achieved until now.
It is futile to try to change that. It is just a part of "being MA-SHA."
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4 months ago
That's why her fans love her. She gives maximum effort and by the way, she actually gives her opponent credit (unlike two ignorant sisters). Masha has worked very hard and people should sit down and think what it was like at a Tennis school with hardly anyone to turn to. I am sure it's those days that have made her into the player she is today. Also, Maria is honest and cares about HER fans. I never see any player take the time to ask her fans opinions or to keep a daily website with messages.
Masha also deal with many double standerds. Other players can "grunt" and make loud noises, but Maria is not allowed? Seles,The WIlliams sisters, and others yell and what not but NO...they have to pick on Masha. Also, it's sickening how pathetic and "caddy" announcers like Mary Carillo cheer when she is losing instead of calling the match. When Maria was destroying Henin in Australia, Miss Carillo was very silent and talked about her "amazement" that Maria could be this good. Sorry Miss Carillo, Maria is a winner..21 years old and always improving. She may not have won Roland Garos, but she did win her first clay court title at Amelia Island. Maria is getting better and Roma was not built in a day. Flat out, people are just jealous over Maria. Maria is as an honest a player that has ever graced the court. She want's to WIN at al costs. Also, don't think that Maria has forgotten all of the ignorance that Americans, especialy those young Academy years when she was teased about not knowing the language well and just for being different. Well, now she speaks better English than most Americans and she's the best and most honest tennis player around. Never forget, Masha is a CHAMPION.
Keep screaming and fighting your haert out Masha.
Ava Maria,
Al
Philadelphia, PA USA
from 4 months ago
Ava Maria, I have heard from different people who had come across her (and who started out liking her, like you) that she is really mean. Rest assured, your admiration and defense of her will not be appreciated by the classless, nasty prima donna. For all your admiration for her, i hope you never get to meet her, for your own sake.
4 months ago
great article
3 months ago
Long John, I had also read this article. I really liked this one as well. Not sure if this led me to the Marat article or the other way around.
I think Maria is fantastic. An incredible talent, fighter and super sweet girl. She aint hard on the eyes either!
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