Maria Sharapova was born, from the perspective of tennis, in Church Road, but the one from 2004 remains her only triumph at Wimbledon. The lawns of the All England Club could bring together all the biggest stars of the planet on their grass-courts.
With Sharapova, there will also be Serena Williams, for a cutting-edge and modern tournament, but with a nostalgic and long-awaited vintage return. Physical problems are pounding on Russia’s career, at least since she returned to competition after the doping ban.
This year Masha played only three tournaments: the quarter-finals in Shenzhen (where she was defeated by Aryna Sabalenka), the fourth round of the Australian Open (defeat against Ashleigh Barty) and St. Petersburg (second round and defeat against Daria Kasatkina).
She then reached the second round at the Mallorca Open, where she was defeated by Angelique Kerber. The shoulder has given Sharapova many problems, but, like a circle that closes, the 32-years-old will be able to regain her career on grass-courts.
She, who over the years has learned to adapt her tennis especially on clay-courts, now she will have to try to find good sensations and confidence also for the grass-swing. In Mallorca, she has laid the foundation stone for a come back that the WTA Tour needs.
Sharapova and Serena Williams are the only two tennis players able to catalyze the attention of media and insiders. The psycho-physical conditions of the two tennis players are to be evaluated, and the adversaries, even the most impracticable ones, are ready to fight to the last point.
As we have seen in London, Sharapova’s Wimbledon was a flop. She was defeated in the first round by Pauline Parmentier The Russian’s ambition is to come back to compete to get the maximum; titles and glory. The reality is to accumulate important minutes in the legs, to then be competitive as in the good old days, between Wimbledon and the end of the season.
After all, only Sharapova and Williams would have the ability to put an end to the chaos that reigns in the WTA Tour, with their ambition, willpower and charisma.
