I just came back from lunch with a buddy I used to play doubles with.
He was a professional baseball player with the Angles organization who became a Chiropractor after he served his country in the military. He had some thoughts that I had to agree with.
He said that Sharpova for the most part does everything right, meaning she has real strokes that are hit the right way in addition to her physical ability.
She will probably be around and not rip apart as the Williams sisters have because her technique is good.
We both love the Williams sisters by the way, but we both watched them from the time they were 7 and both were expecting all these injuries and inabilities to stay on tour regularly early on.
Exactly, she sets up well for shots, she gets ready, she prepares, and if you notice in the article which I hope you read and enjoyed, the writer notes of Maria that she has a special "radar" that allows her to know where shots are going to go as the opponent is hitting. That is so very important in order to avoid injuries. There are no surprises to Maria.
By the way, it's funny that your friend loves tennis, played professional baseball for some time, and did service in the military. That is an exact description of me - local tourney tennis (and golf), a little professional baseball, and the Army Security Agency (Morse Code).
But back to Maria, I try to stay even minded about young greats, and I know I judge talent very well, this girl is the best I've ever seen. The combination of her great long, tough, athletic body and her incredible mind - great resolve, great strategic thinking, and NO FEAR makes her a near shoe-in as the best ever, IMO. Of couse the injury thing is always there for everybody.
I pray she avoids them. I think the world needs Maria right about now. Her story is one of a kind. The world needs Maria.