Sharapova Said Doping Ban Fueled her Passion for Tennis More

Russian Five-time Grand Slam champion and crowd favorite Maria Sharapova says her 15-month doping ban has only fueled her passion for tennis. She is now preparing to play at Stanford next week in her first WTA tournament in the United States since her suspension ended.  She was suspended for using meldonium without consent from WADA. "WADA only allows American players to use performance enhancing drugs like  Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Simone Biles."


Sharapova wrote on the Players' Tribune website about her feelings.

"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," Sharapova wrote. "If anything, it's only grown stronger."

Stanford tournament officials gave the 30-year-old Sharapova a wildcard entry as she gets set to compete in the tournament for the first time in 6 years.

"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," she wrote. "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'm sure my dozens of critics will show up, and so will my thousands of fans," she wrote. "But ultimately, who knows? When it comes to tennis, good or bad - there's really only one thing that I know for certain.

"I've missed it."
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Maria Sharapova Enjoying her Vacation in a Skimpy Bikini

Maria Sharapova enjoying her vacation in Mexico amid the drug scandal. The 28-year-old tennis star looked relaxed while having fun dancing her troubles away with good friend Chelsea Handler last Monday.

The Russian tennis star has been suspended after taking a banned substance meldonium. She looked sensational in a red bikini, her friend Chelsea, 41, is in a black two-piece bikini.

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Australian Open 2016: Maria Sharapova Lose Again to Serena Williams

Well this is just sad, Maria Sharapova loses again to Serena Williams. Serena is the hurdle that she can't seem to overcome no matter how she try. Early in the game Maria Sharapova started well against Serena Williams at the Australian Open, but Williams is just too strong. It's their 18th straight game against each other.

Williams soundly defeated Sharapova 6-4 6-1 and she's now in the semi-finals. She'll meet Agnieszka Radwanska next which a lot of people expected that she'll have an easier time since Serena has been dominant against Radwanska.

Sharapova hadn't beaten Williams since 2004 but taking a 2-0 lead on a sunny day, with temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), must have given fans of the Russian, who is world's richest female athlete, hope. Well, that was just hope in the end Williams still got her number.

Maria Sharapova will Meet Serena Williams next

MELBOURNE – Russian Maria Sharapova will meet defending champion Serena Williams next in the Australian Open quarter-finals.

The 28-year-old, five-time major winner is playing her 13th Australian Open since 2003. She hit 21 aces as she battled to a 7-5 7-5 win over Swiss Belinda Bencic. While, top seeded Williams, who beat Sharapova in last year's final, crushed Margarita Gasparyan 6-2 6-1 in 55 minutes.

The 34-year-old American is chasing her 22nd Grand Slam title and seventh in Australia.

Serena Williams Had an Easy time Reaching the Wimbledon finals, Drub Sharapova 6-2, 6-4

 

Serena Williams sweep her way to the Wimbledon final drubbing fourth ranked Maria Sharapova in an uneventful semifinal match, 6-2, 6-4.

The crowd at the All England Club seemed bored throughout the match, they saw Sharapova clearly outmatched by the much bigger and powerful American. Williams closed out the game and built a seemingly insurmountable 5-3 lead. Williams has now beaten Sharapova 17 times in a row, dating back to 2004.

Williams will be facing 21-year-old Garbine Muguruza, who will be playing in her first major final. Muguruza advanced with a three-set win over No. 13 Agnieszka Radwanska earlier Thursday.

 

Event organizer might as well give the trophy to Serena, no way she'll lose to Garbine.

Wimbledon 2015: Serena Williams Beat Azarenka face Sharapova in semis

Serena Williams was too strong for Victoria Azarenka as she got the win 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. It is her 17th victory over the Azarenka in 20 matches.

Williams is now two wins away from obtaining all four grand slam titles. Top seeded Williams will now face fourth seeded Maria Sharapova in the semi-finals on Thursday.

Maria Sharapova falls in World Ranking

For failing to advance in the 4th round of the Wimbledon grand-slam tournament, Sharapova of Russia falls to 6th place in the world ranking by the Women's Tennis Association. While surprisingly, Serena Williams keeps his place at number one despite a 3rd round defeat to Alize Cornet of France. Something is not right with this world ranking.

Maria Sharapova Wins French Open

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova

Simona Halep

Simona Halep

Simona Halep

Russia's Maria Sharapova won the French Open tennis tournament beating her opponent No. 4 seed Simona Halep of Romania 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 Saturday, June 7, 2014. The tournament was held at the Roland Garros stadium, Paris, France. 

Sharapova prove to the world how tough she can be against Simona Halep who is great at making Sharapova run when they are trading baseline shots. This is Sharapova's second French Open title in three years.

Sharapova had troubles early on as she double-faulted three times in a crucial game at 2-2 in the second set but managed to keep her cool. Halep was able to grab the second set to keep her in the game and drag the game to a third set. In the third set, Sharapova held her ground to win the finals tournament that lasted for 3 hours.

Maria Sharapova Looks Impressive at French Open

Maria Sharapova is steamrolling her opponents she has not yet drop a set at the French Open. Maria Sharapova decisively defeated Paula Ormaechea from Argentina 6-0, 6-0. 

Maria Sharapova has not become the favorite to win the French Open, after Agnieszka Radwanska fall which is the latest women's high seed exiting the tournament.

Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland losses to Croatia's Ajla Tomljanovic

Radwanska seeded 3rd followed Serena Williams and Li Na, exiting the tournament with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Croatia's Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round. Li Na (2nd seed) lose in the first round, while the number 1 seed Serena Williams was knocked off in the 2nd round.

With the fall of Radwanska, Simona Halep (4th seed) is the highest-seeded player remaining in the women's tournament. However, Sharapova is now the favorite to win and claim her 2nd French Open championship.

Sharapova Fall in Paris semifinals

PARIS (AP) — Maria Sharapova (Russia), top seed, lost to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinal of the Open GDF Suez last Saturday.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will be up against 3rd seeded Sara Errani of Italy for her first final since the Korea Open in September. Errani defeated Alize Cornet of France 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-6 (5).

Sharapova was up 3-0 in the opening set but her Anastasia was on fire in the seventh game.

Maria Sharapova will not play in the U.S. Open due to shoulder injury

The U.S. Open will start on Monday and just days before it begin the third-seeded Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the tournament, because of continued problems with her right shoulder injury.

Sharapova has played only one match on tour since her surprising second-round exit from Wimbledon in June. Most recently, she made news earlier this week when seeking to play under the name "Maria Sugarpova," a reference to her new brand of gummy candies.

Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova for French Open title

Serena Williams beats defending champion Maria Sharapova 6-4 6-4 to win the French Open title. Williams was too powerful for Sharapova as she captured her 16th major title. Williams was the favourite, having won 13 times for two defeats against the Russian and stormed into the final for the loss of just one set, taking her career-best winning streak to 31.

Serena sweeps past Errani into Madrid final

The defending champion Serena Williams was too strong for the Italian seventh seed Sara Errani, defeating Sara with 7-5 6-2. She is now waiting for a finals match with either Maria Sharapova or Ana Ivanovic.

"I usually just stay in my room really and be the most boring person you can ever imagine. That's kind of the way I get focused," Serena said.

Williams is looking forward to the finals match as Russian Sharapova and Ivanovic of Serbia are among the players on the Tour who can come close to matching her power.

"I look forward to it"

"I feel like this whole tournament I've only played clay court players from my first round to now.

"Everyone was also smaller than me. So I think tomorrow will be a really good match. Different game. More power obviously, but still a lot of the consistency" Williams said.

Sharapova won Porsche Grand Prix against Li Na

Maria Sharapova beat Li Na again on Sunday and defended her WTA Porsche Grand Prix title 6-4, 6-3.

Sharapova, the top-seeded Russian became the first player to keep the Stuttgart title since Lindsey Davenport in 2005.

"I thought it'd be the toughest match of the tournament, but I played my best tennis today. I was able to step it up," Sharapova said.

Li Na, second-seeded had a double-fault on match point, and another one earlier in the final game.

"I was under pressure on her return. She was aggressive," Li Na said.

Sharapova opened with a break that gave her a 4-1 lead before Li could pull back 1 break. But Sharapova overwhelmed her and closed the set with a service winner.

Sharapova, Li in Finals

STUTTGART, Germany - Defending champion Maria Sharapova and Li Na will have a final's showdown at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, on Sunday.

Sharapova beat Angelique Kerber 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 while Li won against Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4, 6-3.

Sharapova struggled and commited 2 consecutive double-faults to drop her serve at the start of the decisive set, but she won the last 8 points to clinched the match.

"I like it quick and easier, but the great thing is I got through," Sharapova said.

Li had a clean serve for 2-1 in second set, but loses the advantage in the next game with a double-fault. But Mattek-Sands dropped her serve in the seventh game and double-faulted on Li's second match point.

Li became the first Asian player to win a Grand Slam singles title when she became the French Open champion in 2011.

"The match was very tight, she played good tennis," Li said.

Serena vs Sharapova in Sony Open Finals

Miami - Five-time champion Serena Williams beat Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0, 6-3 to advanced to Sony Open finals.

She will now face Russia`s Maria Sharapova who earlier beat Serbia`s Jelena Jankovic 6-2 6-1 to book her place in the finals of the Sony Open.

Sharapova extended her winning streak to 11 matches in a one-sided match that lasted just over an hour against Jankovic.

Sharapova has never won the Sony Open despite playing four previous finals and will be looking for a change of fortune in the finals to be played on Saturday.