Player Quotes August 1st
Maria Sharapova
“I was a bit up and down in the beginning. I went up 4-3 and played a really sloppy game on our serve and she didn’t serve that great of a game. I really started making unforced errors off the return and she really stepped it up and took advantage. I was always on the defensive after that. I think when I tried to get the ball rolling, it was a little late.”
“She has many advantages in her game. She gets a lot of balls back and they are really heavy. There is no doubt she is a great player. She has already been in the top-10, so it’s not like she is moving up. She has been there, had great wins in her career already and is always a tough one to play against.”
“I don’t think I served that smart. It was tough on one side to really be consistent and have a higher percentage of first serves. I gave her too many looks on second serves.”
“She has always served consistently well when I have played against her. She doesn’t have a huge serve, but is pretty smart and mixes it up. I felt like I had a good read on her second serve, but wasn’t really making them so it doesn’t matter how you read it.”
“You do what you have to do with what you have, no matter what it is. It’s part of the job. It probably would have been a little easier for me if I hadn’t spent so much wasted time on the sets that I lost in the previous two days. That probably would have made my life easier today but that’s the way it goes. I also wish I would have played a couple more day matches to get more of a feel because it is a different atmosphere and different feel.”
“I tried to start aggressive right away and not let her command play. Once she gets on a roll and is being aggressive, it is really hard to keep up. So you always want to stay with her and play aggressive. So that’s what I did.”
“In Los Angeles, it was one of her first matches since coming back so I didn’t really know what to expect. It was really close and I had my chances, I just didn’t really take them. In Beijing, I think I was up 5-2 in the third set and did not close it out. Today I knew she was going to fight until the last moment, so I had to be on top of her every moment and not let her come back in the game.”
“I’m just so happy to be back on the court playing. I’m enjoying my time hitting balls and running all over the court. It’s just what I love to do. Of course, the wins always bring you confidence but for me, it is a joy just to be on the court.”
“I always tell myself to go for my returns and not step back. That’s what I think puts a lot of pressure on the server, when you see someone always trying to attack the serve, attack the serve. It was always important for me to push myself forward, not just on the return but on every ball.”
“I play point by point. I knew I would have to fight every single ball with her because it doesn’t matter what score it is. She is going to play every ball and make big shots. It was important to try and dig myself into the court.”
“I think I have improved my movement and defensive game a lot, which helps me to be more aggressive. I use a lot more weapons now. I try to come in and change my game and not keep the same patterns over time.”
