Sharapova excited about her date with Venus in HK
Russian teenage sensation Maria Sharapova won't be overawed by the occasion when she meets American great Venus Williams in her first-round match in next week's Watsons Water Champions Challenge.
The 16-year-old said she would treat the encounter as 'just another match'. The Russian bombshell from Nyagan will be among the crowd favourites in the tournament, which features four women and four men. It starts next Thursday at Victoria Park.
And the strapping six-foot Sharapova is looking forward to playing four-time Grand Slam winner Williams, who is overwhelmingly favoured to win the women's event. But favourite or not, Sharapova just wants to play her game, not worrying too much about her opponent.
''I'll basically play anybody and of course she [Venus] is a great player. But when I go on court I don't want to think about what she has achieved. I just want to think about my game and what I am going to do - not who is on the other side of the court,' Sharapova told the Post from Florida.
'I am going to enjoy it and I think I will have a lot of fun.'
Last year, Sharapova lost to another great, American Monica Seles, in the semi-finals of the competition, but she hopes to get the better of Williams in a match that is shaping up to be a battle between youth and experience.
'I am definitely looking forward to doing well [in Hong Kong]. Even though it might be an exhibition, I always want to win. Last year, it was a great experience for me to play against Monica and hopefully I will get some good matches there and just take it all the way.'
Sharapova added: 'I am just excited to go [to Hong Kong] because it is the beginning of the year. I started my year playing there and it turned out to be a very good year for me so hopefully starting there again, I will have another great year. It is, of course exciting for me to come back and compete and play against the great players.'
Based in Bradenton, Florida, Sharapova has steadily risen up the rankings - thanks to some excellent tennis in Tokyo and Shanghai this year. She won the Japan Open - her first WTA title - becoming the youngest singles winner for 2003. At the Shanghai Open, she reached the quarter-finals and at Wimbledon she reached the fourth round on her debut, the best showing by a female wildcard at the tournament.
The 32nd-ranked Sharapova warned she was in good shape and spectators can expect a different player from the one they saw last year. 'I have actually been working pretty hard over the past two or three weeks. I was in Europe working. I was away from my mum and I was practising and working on my physical condition.
'I played an exhibition in Belgium and it turned out really well. Then I came back home and I was just keeping my condition. The past couple of days I have been practising twice a day and practising yoga too. I am trying to do it every day. I think I am in pretty good shape right now.'
Asked what was her most cherished award so far, Sharapova said: 'All my awards are really special. Tokyo was really special because that was the first tournament that I won. Awards mean a lot to me because it means that people recognise what I have done, not only as a good tennis player but as a person too, so that makes me happy.'
She then offered a few tips to any youngster thinking of taking up the game. 'The parents should listen to what they have to say and guide them in the right direction. Every individual is different and some players might not want what other people need, like the training, the fitness and the competition.'
Right now, Sharapova is looking forward to playing in Hong Kong again. 'The culture and the whole place is something special. I was in Hong Kong for around 10 days last year and I saw a bit of the town. It's a different place. There is nothing like Hong Kong.'
