Sharapova wins Wimbledon Ladies title

dod

Like most youngsters, every year after Wimbledon I was inspired to take my racquet out of the closet. A week later, the racket would be returned to storage for another 51-week hiatus. Though I quickly realised that tennis was not the arena in which I was going to make my mark on the world, Wimbledon continued to be compelling television every year. The rivalry between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe with their silly hairdos and wooden rackets made for great TV. Every ten year-old took exception at any parental chastisement with the catchphrase “You cannot be serious”. The tennis would get stale, and then a new superstar would emerge to capture the imagination of the viewing public- Becker took the world by storm, and then there was Agassi and more recently Sampras.

I don’t recall much about the ladies tournament until the emergence of the tennis superstar sex symbol. Steffi Graf made it acceptable for the Saturday afternoon pub crowd to watch ladies tennis. Then of course came Russian export Anna Kournikova, more famous for her svelte figure and striking good looks than for anything she has ever achieved on the tennis courts.

I must admit that I didn’t pay much attention in recent weeks to the headlines about Maria Sharapova. As far as I was concerned, the headlines were the cynical product of tabloids newspapers exploiting a pretty face to cater for their market. Unarguably stunningly attractive, it seemed only a matter of time before she was put in her place by the established tennis-aristocracy. The point came, however, when it became impossible to ignore the results, even coming from behind to defeat Lindsay Davenport to get to the final. Despite having put together an astonishing string of victories, the final still seemed to be something of a foregone conclusion. Serena Williams was obviously unbeatable, the match itself a formality. Sharapova, possibly a talent for the future, would certainly become a glossy magazine favourite, but her shelf life in the upper echelons of tennis was surely quite short.

As the ladies final was starting, I switched the TV on to keep me company over my light lunch. Williams, terrifyingly strong and athletic, sought to stamp her authority on the match early. But then the unthinkable happened- Sharapova broke her serve. Not once, but twice. Sharapova wins the first set 6-1: unquestionably a glitch. Williams came out fighting in the second set, and surely normal service was to be resumed.

In a gripping second set, when Williams eventually (and you felt inevitably) broke the Sharapova serve, Sharapova astonishingly broke right back. Mentally Sharapova had looked toughest throughout the game, but this surely must have finished Williams confidence. The tennis was riveting. That such magnificent tennis, against an established superstar, was coming from one so young was phenomenal

Watching the match on TV, whether Sharapova was to win or lose this final, it was clear that we were watching the emergence of a new superstar; an athlete for a new generation of youngsters to look up to. Physically, she was never out of second gear. Under pressure from Williams aggressive tactics, she played some absolutely sensational tennis. Wonderful serving, great returns of serve, superb rallies and astonishing lobs, Sharapova continued to outfox Williams in all aspects of the game. It really did seem that Sharapova could do no wrong.

At 4-4 in the second set, Williams served. Then Deuce, and it seemed anything could happen. After what seemed an interminable exchange of Advantage and Deuce Sharapova broke the Williams serve, and now she was serving for the match. It is a long time since I have found ladies tennis so gripping. The final game was edge-of-your-seat tennis. Emotionally, you felt that the game had already slipped from the reigning champion, but logically, it was impossible to rationalise Williams being beaten. Sharapova served, and Williams return hit the net. Game, Set, Match Sharapova.

She fell to her knees and her hands went up to her face that she might herself glimpse the enormity of her achievement. It was impossible not to be caught up in the emotion of the moment. To win Wimbledon is a stunning feat even for an established player, but for a relative newcomer to win so convincingly against none other than the world number one was beyond belief. Sharapovas dignity and grace in victory was irresistible. Brilliance and a personality- the combination is a scare commodity in modern sport.

It is rare to be there at the start of a legend- when Tiger Woods won his first major; when Jonah Lomu first played for the All-Blacks; when Beckham first emerged onto the soccer stage. Today we saw the emergence of a star that is going to define ladies tennis for a generation. Sharapova looks to be the girl that is going to inspire a whole new generation of young people to get their tennis racquets out- and hopefully they will show a little more resolve with their tennis than I did.

AdMMM

I didnt read a word you said

It wasnt the best match I saw in the Womens Championship this year, however it was a great win for Sharapova who's life is now going to change dramatically.

Who is this guy she doesnt want to name?

DirtyDog

Never mind that, shes a hottie

Agreed dod, she did really well and I'm sure shes the next big thing in Tennis..

MisterAnarchy

Womens tennis is a farce.
Sharapova is a good player but the defining trait in womens tennis is temperament.
How many times have I seen a woman win a set 6-1 then lose the next 6-0 and collapse.
Its ridiculous that they earn anywhere near the men as they only play the best of 3 sets and the vast majority of the matches involving the top players only last 2 sets.
I honestly think that I could beat a ladies player ranked 20-100 in the world .
I'd hold my serve most of the time and would prob break her a few times.