Maria Sharapova leads ‘underdogs’ Russia against Czech Republic in Fed Cup final

Maria Sharapova has played only four Fed Cup ties, but her presence on the court could make all the difference as Russia take on holders the Czech Republic in the 2015 final at the weekend.

The 28-year-old world No 4 will likely face sixth-ranked Petra Kvitova and ninth-ranked Lucie Safarova, the left-handed duo who have led the Czechs to three Fed Cup titles from the last four editions.

“It’s a great way to finish off the year playing with two of the best players,” said Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam winner, who was sidelined with leg and arm problems from July to October.

“It’s definitely a very new experience, I’ve been part of the team on different occasions but never in the final.”

Sharapova returned to action at the WTA Tour Finals last month, where she lost to Kvitova in the semi-finals — after losing to Safarova at the French Open in June.

“I know how difficult an opponent they are and it will be a great challenge for me,” said Sharapova, called up alongside world No 23 Ekaterina Makarova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (28) and Elena Vesnina (111).

“We are coming into these finals as the underdogs.”

Russian captain Anastasia Myskina said she was pleased to have Sharapova on the team, waving aside a decade-old rift between them over Sharapova’s father.

“Definitely it’s very important to have Maria on the team and I want to say thank you,” Myskina said.

Equally high-spirited, the Czech team denied being the favourite.

“They have the highest-ranking player and a permanent doubles pair” of Vesnina and Makarova, said Czech captain Petr Pala, who has also nominated 11th-ranked Karolina Pliskova and world number 41 Barbora Strycova. “The chances are perfectly even.”

Dubbing Sharapova “Marushka”, the Czech for “little Maria”, Kvitova and Safarova said they would bet on left-handed rotation against her.

“With Marushka, it’s always a matter of the few chances she gives you,” said Kvitova, the 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon champion, who is 4-6 head-to-head with Sharapova.

“Left-handed rotation will help, and of course you have to fight until the end, Marushka doesn’t give up until the last point.”

The two nations have met five times in the Fed Cup before but three of those meetings were between Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union.

The Czech team lead their head-to-head record with Russia 3-2, including a victory in the most recent encounter in the 2011 final in Moscow.

The Czechs have won the trophy eight times, including five victories as Czechoslovakia which went on to split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993.

Four-time champions Russia will be playing in their 11th Fed Cup final.

Maria Sharapova eyes first Fed Cup final against Czechs

PRAGUE — Seven years after she helped Russia win its last Fed Cup title, Maria Sharapova finally gets to play in a final this weekend.

Her rare presence in the team is a boost for Russia's hopes of taking the cup from the defending champion Czech Republic on an indoor hard-court at Prague's O2 Arena.

"It's definitely a very new experience," Sharapova said on Wednesday. "I've been part of the team on different occasions but never in the final.

"Having me as part of the team is really exciting, and I hope we can have a good weekend."

All four of her previous Fed Cup ties were in the first round, and all wins.

In 2008, she missed the triumphant final in Spain because of a right shoulder injury.

In 2011, she wasn't available for the home final loss to the Czechs because of a left ankle injury.

In 2012, Russia didn't pick her for the semifinals loss to Serbia because she was too busy.

This year, keen to qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, she contributed two wins in the first-round defeat of Poland, and missed the semifinal win over Germany because of a leg injury.

Injury almost kept her out of this week's final.

The fourth-ranked Sharapova was sidelined with a leg injury after losing in the Wimbledon semifinals. At her first tournament back, the Wuhan Open in China last month, she retired in her first match with a left wrist injury. At the WTA Finals in Singapore, she reached the semifinals.

"It was just really great for me to be playing competitive matches again," Sharapova said of the WTA Finals. "I didn't know how my body would hold up, and it was a really great week to have three victories there and have another chance to maybe play two more matches here.

"Everything I have played after the injuries has been a bonus for my tennis, to see where my health is."

To help captain Anastasia Myskina become the fourth woman to win the Fed Cup as a player and captain - she played in the 2004 and '05 triumphs - Sharapova will have to overcome opponents who have become as dominant in the Fed Cup as Russia once was.

The Czechs claimed their third Fed Cup title in four years last November by beating Germany in the final in Prague, and have all their major stars available, led by top-10 players Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova.

With Kvitova and Safarova, the Czechs won their first title as an independent nation, following the 1993 split of Czechoslovakia, in 2011 by beating Russia in Moscow, and retained the trophy in Prague the following year.

Sharapova has positive win-loss records against both; 6-4 vs. the sixth-ranked Kvitova, and 4-2 vs. the ninth-ranked Safarova. However, she has lost to both Czechs this year.

"I know how difficult opponents they are, it will be a great challenge for me," Sharapova said. "Both meetings, I have lost in quite tough matches."

She was beaten by eventual finalist Safarova 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the round of 16 at the French Open, while Kvitova defeated her 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the WTA Finals.

"It's always tough to play her," Safarova said. "You need to be aggressive to succeed."

The Czechs also have on board Karolina Pliskova and Barbora Strycova, while Russia is counting on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Ekaterina Makarova, and doubles specialist Elena Vesnina.

PENNETTA REACHES CAREER-HIGH RANKING

2015 US Open champion Flavia Pennetta captured a maiden Grand Slam title and rocketed back up the rankings all in one shot; what was her previous career-high?

Published September 14, 2015 12:14

NEW YORK, NY, USA - There's going out with a bang, and then there's 2015 US Open championFlavia Pennetta. Set to retire at the end of the season, the Italian veteran kicked off quite the farewell tour with a maiden Grand Slam title and a career-high ranking of No.8 all in one whirlwind weekend.

Ranked No.26 at the start of the fortnight, Pennetta barreled through a draw full of quality opposition in 2011 champion Samantha Stosur, two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, and World No.2 Simona Halep before easing past lifelong friend and conqueror of top seed Serena Williams, Roberta Vinci. Already defending 430 points from reaching last year's quarterfinal, she nonetheless rocketed 18 spots up the rankings to shatter her previous career-high of No.10.

On the Road to Singapore leaderboard, the leap was even bigger; rising 30 spots to No.6, Pennetta is suddenly in pole position to punctuate her final season with a debut at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore, presented by SC Global.

"If I have a chance, of course!" she beamed when asked about refocusing her season towards the Road To Singapore.

This third stint in the Top 10 was over five years in the making for Pennetta, who has always played her best tennis on the North American hardcourts. A year after reaching her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in Flushing, the Italian went on an absolute tear, winning 15 straight matches over big names like Stosur, Maria Sharapova, Vera Zvonareva, and Venus Williams, and winning back-to-back titles in Palermo and Los Angeles before falling in the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open to then-No.1 Dinara Safina.

It was that run that made her the first Italian to ever break into the WTA's Top 10, and though she was largely a Top 20 mainstay throughout her career - even briefly returning to her career-high before Wimbledon in 2010 - it seemed unlikely that the Fed Cup stalwart would ever surpass the ranking standard set by countrywoman Francesca Schiavone, who was the first Italian to win a Grand Slam title at the 2010 French Open and the highest-ranked from her country at No.4.

But with only 66 points to defend in Wuhan and Beijing - the two tournaments Pennetta has committed to play this fall - it may only get harder to say goodbye for the new No.1 Italian, who could yet do damage at major hardcourt events like the Australian Open and next summer's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Maria Sharapova to Front Supergoop Campaign

It’s become clear how important tennis star Maria Sharapova has been to sun protection products company Supergoop a little over a year after she came on as an investor.

Sharapova is heading up a new campaign called Project Black Dot that aims to educate consumers on skin cancer and the benefits of wearing sunscreen daily.

The Texas-based company makes sunscreens, eye creams and other products. Sharapova invested an undisclosed amount in Supergoop last year and has since helped educate people on the havoc the sun can have on unprotected skin.

The first iteration of the campaign, called Project Permission, calls on parents to sign permission slips that would allow their children to bring sunscreen to school. It’s currently considered an over-the-counter drug and prohibited on school campuses in most states.

“If we can get the awareness that your kid cannot bring sunscreen to school, it’s a pretty big statement,” Sharapova told WWD. “I think not many parents actually realize that and if you think about that it’s quite a shocking fact and we really hope to change that.”

Wearing sunscreen daily has been a habit for the athlete since she was young, training in the sun sometimes six hours a day in Florida.

“A few years ago, before I even met [Supergoop chief executive officer] Holly [Thaggard], I was a fan of Supergoop. I found it at a Sephora store,” Sharapova said. “I’ve tried so many different sunscreens and this was one that didn’t burn my eyes.”

Sharapova’s involvement in the company has been a boon for the brand.

“We weren’t looking at the time for a spokesperson for our brand and when Maria reached out, what we saw was it gave us the opportunity to put a big megaphone to this message and reach millions more people and, of course, influence our youth as well,” Thaggard said.

Sharapova’s input as a heavy user of sunscreen has also been helpful in the development process, Thaggard added.

Supergoop is sold in Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard’s and Nordstrom, among other retailers.

Maria Sharapova’s US Open Exit: What It Means For Nike

Athletic giant Nike has one fewer star contender in the US Open tennis competition, after Russian pro Maria Sharapova announced yesterday on her Facebook page that she will withdraw from the tournament. How much of a blow will that be to her key sponsor?

The athletic brand has been promoting Sharapova for the past couple of weeks, including at a special event in New York last week, where the No. 3-ranked player joined Nike stars past and present for a friendly street-ball competition, which also doubled as a launch for the latest NikeCourt gear.

However, as Sharapova noted in her message to fans, she’s been suffering from an injury and hasn’t played a single match since losing to Serena Williams in the Wimbledon semifinals. And she has history of withdrawing from the New York competition, according to Russ Napolitano, COO of brand consultancy Tenet Partners.

“It is unfortunate for Nike that this is the second time in three years that Maria has pulled out of this high-profile Grand Slam tournament, forcing Nike to shift gears at a moment’s notice,” he said.

Napolitano noted that he often advises brands that working with celebrities carries risk, so they should always have a backup plan to help navigate any unexpected challenges.

“As luck would have it, Nike’s ‘just in case’ strategy can be to put much of its focus on Serena Williams,” said Napolitano. “This is not a bad position for Nike to be in. All eyes are now on Serena, as she is chasing the calendar Grand Slam [record], which hasn’t been done in 27 years, since Steffi Graf won all four back in 1988.”

For Nike, another finals showdown between Sharapova and Williams would’ve been preferable, but the brand still stands to benefit from its longstanding partnership with Williams, which has yielded unique on-court fashions and a signature line of sneakers.

Added Napolitano, “If Serena succeeds at making history by winning or even by making the finals, Nike’s exposure will be huge, with the Sharapova withdrawal a long-lost memory.”

Why does Maria Sharapova earn $10 million more in endorsements than Serena Williams?

Recently, a controversy involved in the disparity in endorsement pay between Serena Williams ($13 million) and Maria Sharapova ($23 million) hit a place where the debate is always respectful and reasonable: Twitter.

The argument goes that since Serena is so much better on the court than Sharapova, she deserves more money from companies, a belief so deluded and so at odds with everything we know about sports, entertainment and business that it boggles the mind. (Meryl Streep is the best actress, how dare she not get salary of a Jennifer Lawrence!)

And then the topic quickly turned to race, with the suggestion that Serena doesn’t earn more because she’s black, something that Michael Jordan, the all-time biggest sports endorser, and Tiger Woods, the most apt comparison to Serena (non-white star dominating a traditionally white sport), surely would scoff at.

Serena was asked about this, in a brilliant cover story for The New York Times magazine.

If they want to market someone who is white and blond, that’s their choice. I have a lot of partners who are very happy to work with me. I can’t sit here and say I should be higher on the list because I have won more. I’m happy for her, because she worked hard, too. There is enough at the table for everyone. We have to be thankful, and we also have to be positive about it so the next black person can be No. 1 on that list.

Serena sounds mostly gracious, as she should be. But the entire idea that someone who is better than someone else deserves more in endorsement money is preposterous. Look at Tiger Woods, ranked No. 266 in the world in a single sport but getting the third-most money in endorsements. It’s not outrageous because Tiger’s name still sells things, even if his game is in the toilet and his reputation is right there with it. The market doesn’t care.

Phil Mickelson is maybe the 20th best player in the game and there he is, right below Tiger. How can Phil sleep at night, with Brooks Koepka getting nothing even though he’s ranked five spots ahead of him! Kobe Bryant, who can barely jump anymore, brings in more four times the endorsement money than Chris Paul, another L.A. basketball hero. This is the way it goes in sports and business.

Look at Li Na, a female tennis player who was good for about a few years and earned $5 million more in endorsements than Serena when she was active, not because she was “white and blond” but because she was Chinese and American companies fall all over themselves to get their foot in the door in that untapped market.

There are so many extenuating circumstances that dictate why one athlete makes more in endorsements: a willingness to shill, worldwide appeal, better agents, being multi-lingual, playing a sport that is marketable. I mean, look at the NFL, in which stars barely make any money off the field. They play the most popular sport in America yet Rory McIlroy earns 10 time more in endorsements? He can barely throw a ball!

Is it fair that the best don’t earn the most? Yes. It’s not about being good, it’s about selling product. The bigger concern is that there are only two women (Sharapova and Serena) on the Forbes’ Top 100. But capitalism doesn’t concern itself with such things as equality. Green is all that will ever matter.

Sharapova, Serena, Rousey among Forbes' highest-paid female athletes

Maria Sharapova may sit a distant No. 2 to Serena Williams on the tennis courts, but the Russian star beat out her competitor on Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid female athletes for the 11th straight year, the magazine announced Wednesday. 

The five-time Grand Slam title-winning Sharapova earned $29.7 million in prize money and endorsements between June 2014 and June 2015. The 21-time Grand Slam title-winning Williams, who is looking to win her fourth Grand Slam title this year at the U.S. Open, earned $24.6 million.

Caroline Wozniacki came in third on Forbes' list with $14.6 million in earnings ($11 million of it off the court).

Tennis players dominated the list this year, as WTP pros comprised seven of the top 10 entrants.

The only newbie in the top 10 was MMA breakout Ronda Rousey, who punched in at No. 8 on a wave of publicity and endorsement deals with the likes of Reebok, Monster headphones and Carl's Jr.

Maria Sharapova tops list of female athlete earners for 11th straight year

Tennis star Maria Sharapova again tops the list of highest earning female athletes over the past year, according to Forbes.

For the 11th consecutive year, the Russian heads a list dominated by tennis players, who occupy seven of the top 10 spots.

The 28-year-old Sharapova, who won the French Open last year, collected $6.7-million in prize money, but her total estimated earnings were $29.7-million, according to Forbes.

The Forbes list also includes earnings from appearances, licensing and endorsements, personal business interests and, in some cases, salary.

World number one tennis player Serena Williams is second at $24.6-million, while motor racing driver Danica Patrick is the top non-tennis player, in fourth place with $13.9-million.

The only other non-tennis players in the top 10 are number eight Ronda Rousey (mixed martial arts) and number nine Stacy Lewis (golf).

Tennis is one of the few big-money sports where the earnings of women are somewhat comparable to men, though Sharapova’s income nonetheless was significantly less than the $67-million earned by Roger Federer, the top tennis player on the latest Forbes men’s list.

Boxers Floyd Mayweather ($300-million) and Manny Pacquiao ($160-million) head the latest men’s list, followed by Portugal and Real Madrid soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo ($79.6-million).

The female earnings were calculated from June 1 of last year until the same date in 2015.

Tennis: This year's WTA Finals set to wow fans

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) is truly committed to building a legacy here in Singapore.

We established an office in Singapore in December 2013, which was a first in a host city, and also extended the WTA Finals' term from the standard three years to five years.

Since then, we have been building the foundation to grow the sport throughout the Asia-Pacific region from our hub here.

Working closely with our promoter World Sport Group and our government partners Sport Singapore and Singapore Tourism Board, the "Advantage Singapore" programme highlights the commitment to providing opportunities for Singaporeans.

This includes workshops at selected primary schools to reveal the science and technology in the world of professional tennis, and training programmes to equip a new generation of tennis professionals with skills both on and off the court.

Some of the examples include the WTA Finals Force volunteer programmes, WTA Future Stars kids tennis clinics, and the WTA Fellowship programme, which offers selected candidates the opportunity to work at the WTA global headquarters in Florida.

The WTA is always looking to raise the bar.

Even though last year's BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global was record-breaking, this year's tournament promises to be bigger and better.

TWO WEEKENDS

This year's event will showcase eight days of competition, expanded from seven days in the past, so fans can enjoy two full weekends of tennis action.

The goal is to engage even more people and exceed the record-breaking 129,000 fans who attended last year's WTA Finals at the Singapore Sports Hub.

The WTA aspires "to be the most exciting and inspirational sport entertainment experience on earth".

To enhance fan experience, the WTA is focused on bringing the game and the players closer to fans.

The Fan Festival will be held at OCBC Square, where there will be opportunities to see the world's top women players up close and personal, with player appearances and autograph sessions throughout the 10-day sport entertainment spectacle.

At the OCBC Arena, the WTA Rising Stars Invitational matches are open to the public to watch for free.

In addition, the WTA Future Stars matches, featuring the top junior players in the Asia-Pacific region, will be held at the Kallang Tennis Centre.

The WTA Future Stars final match will be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Oct 26 and it will also be free to the public.

Fans can also watch the WTA Finals heroines in action during their practice sessions, also free of charge on Fan Festival weekend.

This exclusive behind-the-scenes access, and witnessing their regimes and preparation for matches, is an experience money can't buy.

FOR KEEPS

During the matches, fans will also be able to get their hands on autographed balls which the players will be hitting into the crowd. If they are lucky, they may even get to catch and keep stray balls that end up in their direction.

The in-stadium experience promises to be more engaging than ever for fans.

The "Road to Singapore" is shaping up to be an exciting race as the leaderboard changes from week to week.

At the heart of the WTA Finals is, of course, the on-court tennis action, the passion and authenticity of our athletes, as the best of the best chase the highly coveted Billie Jean King trophy.

Right now, we are very excited that defending champion Serena Williams is coming back, hoping to win her fourth WTA Finals title after being the first to qualify.

Swiss legend Martina Hingis and her doubles partner, India's regional heroine Sania Mirza, have also quailified for the doubles event.

On the leaderboard right now are some familiar names including current world No. 2 Maria Sharapova and last year's WTA Finals runner-up Simona Halep.

It is fantastic to see some new names such as Wimbledon finalist and 21-year-old Spaniard Garbine Muguruza and 28-year-old French Open finalist Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, climb up the ranks.

Over the next 85 days, the players will be competing throughout the US including the US Open, followed by the Asian series of tournaments, so it will be thrilling to see who finally makes her way to play at the WTA Finals here from Oct 23 to Nov 1.

Maria Sharapova chills away Wimbledon blues by the beach

Russian ace, who exited Wimbledon in the semis, spends the last few days on the beach and with her Porsche

"Maria Sharapova — a tennis player or a model? Ha! Confusing, isn't it, for her good looks are no less than that of a model. She cemented this as a verity again after the tennis star flaunted her model-isque figure," reported tmsplug.com yesterday.


A July 11, 2013 image of Maria Sharapova posing with a Porsche at Manhattan Beach, California. Pic/Getty Images 

According to the website, Sharapova (28) relaxed on a beach on Saturday, "to take pleasure from the long break ahead of the Rogers Cup in Toronto (begins August 10)."

Water way to glow
Some of her followers said she is in Montenegro (Europe). A few days ago she posted a picture on Twitter with a caption: "Spent the afternoon working with this red beauty @Porsche." The Russian endured disappointment at Wimbledon, losing to eventual champion Serena Williams in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Sharapova revealed the secret to her glowing personality. "As boring as it sounds, water is a big part of my diet. I wake up and drink half a litre every morning, it's just a really fresh, clean way to start the day. I don't even go in for coconut water or anything like that, just plain old water – sometimes with a squeeze of lemon," she told InStyle.co.uk

"It's the best way of keeping me hydrated, especially when I'm travelling. Although, I have the smallest bladder, so it's not always ideal when you're on the go!" Sharapova loves green juices and avoids bread. "I love cold-pressed juices.

When I'm flying, I'll avoid bread or anything with too much protein and will make sure I eat lots of vitamin C infused foods, but there's no real secret to fighting jet lag unfortunately," she said. As a reward for her hard toil at training, Sharapova rewards herself by wearing her favourite perfume. 'I don't wear it when I train, so it always feels like a bit of a treat," she revealed.

#TBT: SERENA VS SHARAPOVA, WIMBLEDON '04

Eleven years ago on the pristine lawns of the All-England Club, a star - one of the biggest stars the WTA would ever see - was born, as Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon.

Published July 09, 2015 12:13

LONDON, England - Eleven years ago on the pristine lawns of the All-England Club, a star - one of the biggest WTA stars - was born. Maria Sharapova, who went into the fortnight as a 17-year-old, No.15-ranked up-and-comer, left as a Grand Slam champion, making headlines around the world.

She did come in on some grass court momentum - she won the lead-up tournament in Birmingham.

And round by round she kept building steam, taking out her first four opponents of the fortnight in straight sets, and after battling past Ai Sugiyama in three sets to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal, she then pulled off a massive surprise in those semis, beating Lindsay Davenport, 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-1.

She did it in dramatic fashion, too - she rallied from a 6-2, 3-1 deficit to make it past the American.

And then another American in the final. She took on Serena Williams, who wasn't just the No.1 seed, but the two-time defending champion too - she had won 20 straight matches at Wimbledon too.

But with nothing to lose and everything to gain, the No.13-seeded Sharapova swung away, storming through the first set, 6-1, and then rallied from 2-4 in the second set to outdo Williams, 6-1, 6-4.

"It's amazing, really," Sharapova would say after winning the first of her five Grand Slam titles.

"I'm absolutely speechless. I never, never in my life expected this to happen so fast. And it's always been my dream to come here and to win, but it was never in my mind that I would do it this year."

At 17 years and 2 months, Sharapova became the third-youngest Wimbledon champion in history after Lottie Dod (15 years and 9 months in 1887) and Martina Hingis (16 years and 9 months in 1997).

The victory propelled Sharapova into the Top 10, from No.15 to No.8. But she didn't want to stop there.

"I thought winning Wimbledon was just my dream. Now, of course, my goal is to be No.1 in the world."

SHARAPOVA: I KNOW MY LEVEL CAN BE THERE

Maria Sharapova gave Serena Williams all kinds of props after their Wimbledon semifinal, but the five-time Grand Slam champion and former No.1 knows she can turn the tide.

Published July 09, 2015 12:15

Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams

LONDON, England - It was competitive, especially the second set, but in the end Serena Williamswas just too good for Maria Sharapova, winning, 6-2, 6-4 - her 17th straight win over her longtime rival.

Sharapova met the press afterwards and gave all kinds of props to the World No.1's level of play.

"I never found myself in a position to break her today. I didn't get any looks at break points, so that was quite difficult," she said. "Her serve is one of her biggest strengths. That's one of the reasons she's in the position she's in today. She comes up with the goods from that serve when she's down. And obviously when she's ahead, it makes it a lot easier for her. That was definitely the case today."

What about beyond the serve - how did Sharapova feel about Williams in the rallies?

"I think she had better depth than I did on her shots. That certainly makes a big difference," the Russian said. "I think one of the things she does extremely well when she plays is takes herself from a defensive position into an offensive position again. I was not able to do that in today's match."

At the end of it all, though, Williams now leads Sharapova in their head-to-head, 18-2, and it's not Williams' only lopsided head-to-head - a round earlier she improved to 17-3 against Victoria Azarenka.

"I always expect her to play her best tennis against myself and a few other elite players," Sharapova said. "I don't think it's a secret. I think she knows against certain players she needs to bring out her best. The way that she plays Azarenka, myself, maybe a few others, she has to bring it on the line.

"You can't just produce your best tennis, but more. Obviously it hasn't happened for me."

What does she need to do to close the gap?

"A lot more than I'm doing," she said.

But it's not all negative - looking back at the entire fortnight, this was Sharapova's second time making the quarterfinals or better here in the last nine years, going along with the 2011 final, and by virtue of the result she'll now move back up to No.2 on both the WTA Rankings and the Road To Singapore leaderboard, the journey to the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.

"It's never easy to be the one on the losing end of an event, especially at Wimbledon, but to look at things in perspective, to see where I was a few weeks ago, I had no idea what my result would be here.

"But I expect myself to be a champion of these events. It's disappointing to come out a loser because I know my level can be there, and my level can be at the point of holding these championship trophies.

"I know that's what keeps me going forward."

SERENA BEATS SHARAPOVA AT WIMBLEDON

Serena Williams kept her dominance over Maria Sharapova going on Thursday, defeating her longtime rival in straight sets to reach her milestone 25th Grand Slam final.

Published July 09, 2015 12:15

Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova

LONDON, England - Serena Williams kept her dominance over Maria Sharapova going on Thursday, beating her longtime rival in straight sets to reach her milestone 25th Grand Slam final at Wimbledon.

Williams had beaten Sharapova 16 times in a row going in and with her legendary brand of power and accuracy extended that to 17 in a row, rushing out to a 6-2, 5-3 lead and, after Sharapova fought off a match point to hold serve for 6-2, 5-4, Williams calmly stepped up to the line and served it out.

The No.1-seeded Williams finished the No.4-seeded Sharapova off with a flurry of aces, 6-2, 6-4.

Williams finished the match with almost twice as many winners to unforced errors, 29 to 15.

"I'm really excited," the World No.1 told the BBC right after the match. "I was a little nervous out there. The semifinals of Wimbledon - it's been a long time since I've been this far in this tournament!

"I think Maria played really well. She stepped up her game, and I was able to step mine up as well. And it's the semifinals of Wimbledon - you never want to lose, and you want to do the best you can."

She's now into the 25th Grand Slam final of her illustrious career, putting together a 20-4 record in the first 24, winning six Australian Opens, three French Opens, five Wimbledons and six US Opens.

The four losses? Venus Williams twice (US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon in 2008), Sharapova once (Wimbledon in 2004) and Sam Stosur once (US Open in 2011). She's won her last seven major finals.

This one could be a little different, though. Awaiting her in this final is the No.20-seeded Garbiñe Muguruza, who beat No.13-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in the other semifinal (read more here).

The Spanish WTA Rising Star has a win over Williams, too, a very famous one in fact - she beat her in the second round of the 2014 French Open, 6-2, 6-2, the worst Grand Slam loss of her entire career.

Williams leads Muguruza in the head-to-head, 2-1, including a win since that French Open stunner.

"She's beaten me before, and she's improved too," Williams said. "It's not going to be an easy match."

"It's the best final you can play," Muguruza said. "Serena in the Wimbledon final is the hardest match you can have. If you want to win a Grand Slam, when you dream, you say, 'I want Serena in the final.'

"She's one of the best players in all these years. So it's obviously the best challenge to have."

Serena Williams beats Maria Sharapova to reach Wimbledon final – as it happened

Serena Williams scored a 17th straight victory over her (un)rival, beating Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-4, to move within one win of a second Serena Slam


The final against Muguruza could be tasty. The young Spaniard stunned Serena in the French Open second round last year. A grand slam final will, of course, be a different proposition, but don’t be surprised if Muguruza pushes Williams. Much will come down to how the 21-year-old handles the pressure of her first major final. Perhaps she could ask Sharapova for a few tips, if Sharapova can even remember her 2004 Wimbledon final win as a 17-year-old over Williams. After 17 straight defeats, it must feel like a lifetime ago. Thanks for reading. Bye!Serena speaks:

When she stepped up my game I was able to step up mine as well. You never want to lose. [Garbine Muguruza] actually beat me before, she made me improve. It’s not going to be an easy match. I think the feeling [of winning] definitely gets better. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the final here [three years]. It’s really cool.

She then cuts off a question about that second Serena Slam.

At least I made it to the final of four. That’s pretty good.

Williams beats Sharapova 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Wimbledon final!

Williams starts as she means to go on, ace, 15-0. But maybe she’s a bit tight because she double faults with a badly-mistimed second serve. How silly am I? Of course she’s not nervous. Ace, 30-15. Ace, 40-15. Unreturned serve, game, set and match Williams. Williams jumps around the court, waving to all four sides, as she celebrates reaching an eighth Wimbledon final, where she can further enhance her greatness. She’ll be going for a second Serena Slam and the third leg of a possible calendar slam, not to mention a 21st grand slam title and a sixth at Wimbledon. She’s a phenomenon. As for Sharapova, the losing run. Goes. On.

 Serena Williams shakes hands with Maria Sharapova after reaching her first Wimbledon final since 2012. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

Updated at 5.30pm BST

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2d ago17:04

Second set: *Williams 6-2, 5-4 Sharapova (*denotes next server)

Sharapova’s serve jumps into the body of Williams, who nets. Sharapova lets rip with an inside-out forehand to get to 30-0. Oooof, take that. She virtually battered the life out of the ball there. Williams then finishes the ball off for good with a powerful backhand. 30-15. Another point apiece and it’s 40-30. The pair duke it out from the back of the court, before Williams decides she’s had enough and puts away the backhand winner. Deuce, with Williams, potentially, two points from the final. Now she’s only one point away because Sharapova’s serve creaks under the pressure once again and produces a double fault. Advantage Williams, match point. Williams has the chance to win it, but goes for too much on the cross-court forehand! Deuce. A breathtaking point follows, perhaps the best of the match, some frightening hitting from both players and it’s Sharapova who survives to bring up advantage. Williams, seemingly off-balance, comes up with an unorthodox return winner. Deuce. Advantage Sharapova. Game. Sharapova was staring down the barrel there but survived. Though it may only be for one more game.

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2d ago16:54

Second set: Williams 6-2, 5-3 Sharapova* (*denotes next server)

Sharapova has a bit of a spring in her step after her escape act in the previous game. She’s jumping around on the baseline pretending to return before Williams has even served. And when Williams does Sharapova takes the first point. And the second. 0-30. Williams recovers her poise, 30-all, but she had a bit of an agonising wait on the fourth point to see if her looping forehand was going to drop back into court. It did, for a winner. 40-30, game, as Sharapova’s attempted return off a sizzling serve barely makes the net. Sharapova must hold serve to stay in this semi-final.

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2d ago16:50

Second set: *Williams 6-2, 4-3 Sharapova (*denotes next server)

Jim Hart emails: “I’m surprised nobody has mentioned the great Vitas Gerulaitis quote after finally getting one over on Jimmy Connors: ‘And let that be a lesson to you all. Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row’. Unfortunately, for Sharapova, it looks like a 17th straight defeat is looming. She slumps to 15-40, two break points down. But Williams is feeling generous and throws in two forehand errors. Deuce. A rocket of a return, advantage Williams. If she breaks here she’ll be serving for a place in the final. But this time she sprays an errant backhand into the tramlines. Deuce. Advantage Sharapova. Game Sharapova. The Russian allows herself a little fist pump in celebration, having saved those three break points.

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2d ago16:42

Second set: Williams 6-2, 4-2 Sharapova* (*denotes next server)

Apologies, technical errors. But I can tell you that Williams consolidates the break by holding emphatically to love.

 Defeat is written into Sharapova’s face. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Serena Williams crushes Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon

Serena Williams continued her dominance of Maria Sharapova with a thorough 6-2, 6-4 win in the Wimbledon semifinals Thursday. Williams now has 17 consecutive wins over Sharapova and 27 straight victories in Grand Slam matches, her last loss coming in Wimbledon’s third round last year. She’s also 38-1 this year.

[Sally Jenkins: It’s Serena and nobody else]

Williams’s pursuit of her second “Serena Slam” — titles in four straight Grand Slam events —  and her first calendar Grand Slam also remained intact in front of a staid Centre Court crowd.

“They’ve seen this play before; they know how it ends,” ESPN’s Chris Fowler said while noting the crowd’s apparent lack of enthusiasm.

Williams will play 20th-seeded Garbine Muguruza, a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 winner over Agnieszka Radwanska, in Saturday’s final. Muguruza, a 21-year-old Spaniard who defeated Williams but lost to Sharapova at the 2014 French Open, will be playing in her first Grand Slam final

2015 Wimbledon Championships

Photos of action from the grasscourt Grand Slam tennis tournament in London.

Williams improved to 18-2 all-time against Sharapova, last losing to her in the final of the 2004 Tour Championships (Sharapova also defeated Williams in that year’s Wimbledon final for the first of her five Grand Slam titles). Thursday’s match was just their third ever at Wimbledon and their first since 2010.

By comparison, Sharapova is 120-39 all-time against the rest of the top 25 in her career.

Williams barely needed to touch the ball as she broke a shaky Sharapova in the match’s first game. Sharapova, whose service toss was an issue throughout the match, hit only 2 of 8 first serves and double-faulted three times. Williams, meanwhile, had two aces in her first service game and then broke Sharapova again in the match’s fifth game on her way to a quick first-set victory.

Sharapova looked more composed in the second set until the fifth game, when Williams used a couple of overpowering returns and another double fault by Sharapova to break. Five games later, she was on to her 25th Grand Slam final.