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MARIA Aims To Tarnish Venus

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MARIA Aims To Tarnish Venus

Post by Grossefavourite » Jul Thu 27, 2017 8:31 am

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2017/07/ ... nus/68024/


Returning from a hamstring injury that has sidelined her since Rome, Maria Sharapova says she is drawing inspiration from Venus Williams as she attempts to return to the top of the game.

The Russian has returned to the WTA tour this season from a 15-month anti-doping suspension, playing three events before getting injured. She reached the semifinals in Stuttgart, her first event back, then lost second-round matches in Madrid and Rome. She is playing World TeamTennis this week before her next scheduled WTA event at Stanford.

"It's been a while since I've played," she said at a press conference for World TeamTennis at Newport Beach, reports by Tennis Panorama. "I had to do rehab on the leg for a while. Just to have that confidence [with] movement and playing again is great."

Sharapova said that while she was away from the game, "some things have changed and the No. 1 spot has shifted, a couple of players have been away," but says she’s still familiar with most of the top-ranked players and doesn't see a huge difference in the women's tour.

But one change the 30-year-old likes is the increasing success of older players, citing Venus Williams as a specific inspiration. The 37-year-old American is ranked No. 9 and has reached two Grand Slam singles finals this season.

"Just take an example for Venus, just being able to do what she did at Wimbledon, or the level she's able to perform at," Sharapova said. "It [leads] others and myself to believe that you can have a long career if you do the right things. It is not just tennis anymore, there's so many things people do to prolong their career. She's definitely set the bar high."

Sharapova is currently ranked No. 173 as she restarts her comeback.

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Post by Ace2Ace » Jul Thu 27, 2017 9:42 am

Desperate PR

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Post by Grossefavourite » Jul Thu 27, 2017 10:02 am

<font color=brown>@ <b>Ace2Ace</b>:</font>
 
I don't trust the way she expressed this alleged 'inspiration'.

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Post by Grossefavourite » Jul Thu 27, 2017 10:50 am

Funny how this is published the same day. She was trying to insinuate something sinister above on the part of Venus and her longevity and success.

______________

Maria Sharapova has spoken out about criticism she received from her tennis peers after her return from suspension and insisted that time away from the game only fuelled her passion.

Sharapova, 30, returned to tennis in April having served a 15-month doping ban for testing positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in 2016. However, her reappearance was met with strong opposition, most notably from Eugenie Bouchard, who branded the Russian a "cheater" and claimed she should not be allowed to play the sport again.

Writing in a column for The Players' Tribune, Sharapova touched on several topics, including her ban, a love for boxing and an obsession with checking Twitter right after a match. Most notable, though, was the five-time Grand Slam champion's thoughts on her critics.

Sharapova wrote: "I'm not oblivious. I'm aware of what many of my peers have said about me, and how critical of me some of them have been in the press.

"If you're a human being with a normal, beating heart, you know ... I don't think that sort of thing will ever fully be possible to ignore. I don't think it will ever not be weird or hurtful to go through. But at the same time ... I've always tried to keep a generous attitude toward critics in general -- whoever they are, and whenever they've been there.

"I've never wanted to respond to the people trashing me by trashing them back; that's always been important to me. I've always wanted to respond by showing grace -- something I learned from my mom, one of the most graceful and elegant people I know.

"I've always wanted to face my critics by simply taking the high road. And by showing them, by showing everyone, that taking the high road is a choice."

Sharapova was initially banned for two years after admitting she took the cardiac drug, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced it on appeal. She made wild-card appearances in Stuttgart, Madrid and the Italian Open but was denied a place at both the French Open and Wimbledon.

She made her return to the tennis courts just 24 hours after completing the suspension and, reflecting on the time away from the sport, Sharapova wrote: "Though these last two years have been tougher -- so much tougher -- than I ever could have anticipated ... my passion for the game has never wavered. If anything, it's only grown stronger."

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Post by Grossefavourite » Jul Fri 28, 2017 9:36 am

In any event, not sure what's going on with Vee. Another collapse?

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2017/07/ ... ton/68019/

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Post by Ace2Ace » Jul Fri 28, 2017 10:33 am

is this why Taylor Townsend is not playing ITF? She is chasing around WTT tournaments for free lunch?

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Post by rex » Jul Fri 28, 2017 9:55 pm

#ed_op#font color="brown"#ed_cl#@ #ed_op#b#ed_cl#Ace2Ace#ed_op#/b#ed_cl#:#ed_op#/font#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#&nbsp;#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#i#ed_cl#Should be telling to Taylor that she wasn't offered a WC to either DC, nor Stanford, but instead is playing worthless WTT with a 135th ranking stature on the Tour and a 54th Alt. status for Cincy. Looks like she'll be completely shut out of the US Open series events, including skipping the Stateside ITF events during such that she should've played given her low rankings. #ed_op#/i#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#

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Post by Grossefavourite » Jul Mon 31, 2017 3:10 pm

<font color=brown>@ <b>rex</b>:</font>
 
Happy now?

Taylor Townsend’s hands were still shaking. Philadelphia coach Craig Kardon said it looked like his hands after five cups of coffee. That’s the effect a heart-stopping, come-from-behind win over the 53rd-ranked singles player can have.

Townsend erased a 1-3 deficit and saved four match points to defeat Sorana Cirstea 5-4 and give the Freedoms a 21-20 win over Springfield Sunday night at Mediacom Stadium. The defeat snaps a four-match winning streak for the Lasers.

“I had great support from my team,” Townsend, grinning ear-to-ear, said. “Everyone just stayed really positive. I got kind of down when I got broken at 1-2. I broke her back, then she broke me again. It was a back-and-forth match, but I was just trying to stay focused on every point and stick to my game plan.”

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Post by Ace2Ace » Jul Mon 31, 2017 3:34 pm

Taylor would be happy just playing WTT all year. free hotel, free food.
Last edited by Ace2Ace on Jul Mon 31, 2017 3:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by rex » Jul Mon 31, 2017 3:38 pm

<font color=brown>@ <b>Grossefavourite</b>:</font>
 
Couldn't care less for an event that counts for "nothing", while 17 year old Kayla Day just dismissed Doi at Stanford and now has a career high of 121st in the rankings and rising as the 21 year old Taylor Townsend sits "hands shaking" at the 138th spot playing a worthless, irrelevant event. :roll:
Last edited by rex on Jul Mon 31, 2017 3:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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