Posted on 09/10/2006 1:32:15 AM PDT by beyond the sea
NEW YORK - Maria Sharapova began the U.S. Open with as much buzz about her sponsorships as her strokes, as much talk about her getups as her game.
She's long insisted she's more about substance than style, though, and now she owns a second Grand Slam title to prove it.
Better on the biggest points all night, the third-seeded Sharapova beat No. 2 Justine Henin-Hardenne 6-4, 6-4 in the U.S. Open final Saturday to add a follow-up championship to her breakthrough title at Wimbledon in 2004.
"I experienced it two years ago, and I knew that I wasn't done," Sharapova said. "I had a lot more in me."
What Sharapova had on this night was a lot more force on nearly every shot, from groundstrokes to serves to returns. She faced only one break point all match, broke Henin-Hardenne three times, and compiled a 20-15 edge in winners.
"She's been a real fighter tonight," said Henin-Hardenne, who would have moved up to No. 1 with a victory. "The better player won tonight."
Quite a concession from the Belgian, who leads the tour this season in matches won (54), Grand Slam matches won (25) and tournament titles (five). She was the first woman since Martina Hingis in 1997 to reach a year's four major finals.
"She didn't give me a lot of opportunities," Henin-Hardenne said.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
She played great and, yes, looked very nice. I'm getting tired of the hooplah around her. This is sports and to keep promoting her because of her looks, well....that commercial they've run incessantly throughout the OPEN (I'M SO PRETTY) was cute the first time, but by the 90th time, I wanted to slap her). i suspect she's not so popular among the rest of the players.
The only shock would be if Rose DIDN'T choke. Remember many years ago when he led the Open at the tender age of 17? He's done almost nothing since then. However, he is still young so you never know.
Tell me how she could adjust her hair 100 times without disrupting her Tiffany's little black bow?
Amazing! ;)
Check his hair at the end of a match .... it's totally dry.
Amazing.
Nidal isn't a slouch either.
;-)
And the Russian, Marat Safin, is an incredibly handsome DUDE!
"the man whose swing has been described as that of a one-armed man trying to kill a snake in a telephone booth"
I'd pay to see that.
Reminds me of those expressions: "Busier than a one armed paper hanger"
"Funnier (or something) than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest".
I'm sure there are others.
Yes...... her back hurts and she needs her teeth fixed.
She's a great, great little girl with a huge heart.
She'll be around for a long time!
... at least she doesn't sound like Hillary shreiking, "I'm sick and tired .................."
Great!
A beautiful hetero athelete.
Long may she reign.
Tommy Haas isn't bad. ;)
Federer, a brilliant player, needs to fire his PR agent.
Too bad that horrendous routine doesn't really work for Sergio Garcia in golf.
;-)
Also....... I guess there might be some envy and dislike from the other players, but the folks I know in the business say, surprisingly, there is not much of that. They seem to know that she really does want to compete, and little else. I'm sure it is easy to dislike a girl who is that attractive and forceful. Just ask that ugly lame-o whom Justine H. beat in the semis. She is one lamentable girl.
;-)
LOL..... he is a big league choker........ but, we'll see.
Maria has seven.
"the man whose swing has been described as that of a one-armed man trying to kill a snake in a telephone booth" ---David Feherty
;-)
ederer is a beautiful artist on the court ...... and a genius.
He may just be the best ever! Can't wait to see the match today.........
See if he ever sweats........... it's really amazing!
I used to sweat at job interviews.
;-)
Federer...... oops////
Now yer talkin' my sport.
There's something about milking the club 32 times before swinging that gets a little bit over the top. I mean yer only allowed 45 seconds from the time its your turn and he would use 30 seconds in "milk time".
Thank gawd he finally fixed it.
I'll tell you another one that's starting to drive me nuts..and I really like him as a player but...Jim Furyk and his pre shot routine for putting is enough to give me the yips just watching it.
Just as well Furyk is so useless!
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