Maria Sharapova: What Are Her Grand Slam Chances in 2011?

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: February 12, 2011

commentComment        

Tennis fans have in Maria Sharapova the unusual figure of someone who, potentially, is an all-time great. Despite having only three Grand Slam titles to her name, she has chosen wisely in her winnings, having bagged a Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open, in alternate years (2004, 2006, 2008). But since her last victory at a major three years ago her performance at the very highest levels has been dismal by her lofty standards—she has failed to reach a single quarterfinal since her victory in Melbourne in 2008.

Yet for her, playing at the very highest level, in matches at the biggest occasions, would probably elicit some of her finest tennis. The problem is, she has failed to reach a deep enough stage of a Slam to demonstrate any of that aura, Grand Slam mental finesse that characterises her game. As of this year, her loss to Andrea Petkovic 6-2 6-3 at Melbourne was simply another instance of her dogging inconsistency—in fact her tournament at Australia this year was not bad, indeed one could in moment begin to see again that old Sharapova determination. But tennis is the sport of the gods, a sport left all too often to the fates: one bad day would ruin it all.

So it proved at Melbourne. Her loss to Petkovic was perhaps symptomatic of a problem across the whole women's game—the inability of any one of the top players—except the battle-hardened Kim Clijsters—to string together seven stunning matches at major level. Favourites have been tossed here and there four times a year for the last three years at majors, and so often have they failed to promise.

It's no different with Sharapova. For a Jankovic, or Wozniacki, inexperience more often would serve as an explanation—why the Dane should have failed to win her semifinal at Melbourne, a favourite, and up a set against Li Na, is perhaps explicable quite entirely in these terms. But Sharapova hasn't even reached a semifinal in three years...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

Latest News


Comments

Comments are closed.

Sponsors

Bruins Tickets The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Red Wings Tickets The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

Penguins Tickets The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New York Rangers Tickets play their home games at Madison Square Garden, they are one of the oldest teams in the NHL, having joined in 1926 as an expansion franchise, and are part of the group of teams referred to as the Original Six.

San Jose Sharks Tickets The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States.

Toronto Maple Leafs Tickets The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New Jersey Devils Tickets The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Washington Capitals Tickets The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.

Buffalo Sabres Tickets The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. Get the Sabres and all of your NHL Tickets here.

NASCAR season is on of the most attended sports in the world. NASCAR Tickets to the best tracks is a must every year. Some of these tracks are: Talladega Tickets, Lowes Motor Speedway Tickets, Pocono Raceway Tickets, located in Ridgeway Virginia you have Martinsville Speedway Tickets and southern US you have two of the most popular Atlanta Motor Speedway Tickets and Texas Motor Speedway Tickets. Don't miss all the racing events this year!

Boston Red Sox Tickets The Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since 1912, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. This is one of the hottest MLB Tickets sales of any team in the major league.

New York Yankees Tickets The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division. Get tickets to one of the hottest games of the season Yankees Red Sox Tickets.

Chicago Cubs Tickets The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League.

Phillies Tickets The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883.

Orioles Tickets The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Do you love wrestling? Get your WWE Tickets and WWE Survivor Series Tickets today!