Sharapova Lone Top 10er at WTA Birmingham
Posted on June 12, 2006Former Wimbledon champ Maria Sharapova will try and resurrect her mojo this week as defending champion at the DFS Classic in Birmingham.
"It is very exciting to be back because it is my favorite time of the year when I am playing on grass," said Sharapova, still dealing with an injured ankle. "Usually all my injuries go away when I am playing on this court. I feel I have incorporated a lot of new things into my game and physically I am a lot stronger than I was a year ago. I feel like I am improving with every match."
The only Top 10 player in the field, the Russian is joined among the Top 8 seeds by Francesca Schiavone, Daniela Hantuchova, Elena Likhovtseva, Ai Sugiyama, Marion Bartoli, Anna Chakvetadze and Jelena Jankovic.
Stand-outs among the lower seeds are slumping Indian star Sania Mirza and Aussie Sam Stosur.
In last year's final the top-seeded Sharapova beat the No. 3-seeded Jankovic in three sets.
Seeds in action Monday at Birmingham are Czink vs. Arvidsson, Granville vs. Yan, Washington vs. N.Li, Sucha vs. Castano, and Santangelo vs. Laine.
"It is very exciting to be back because it is my favorite time of the year when I am playing on grass," said Sharapova, still dealing with an injured ankle. "Usually all my injuries go away when I am playing on this court. I feel I have incorporated a lot of new things into my game and physically I am a lot stronger than I was a year ago. I feel like I am improving with every match."
The only Top 10 player in the field, the Russian is joined among the Top 8 seeds by Francesca Schiavone, Daniela Hantuchova, Elena Likhovtseva, Ai Sugiyama, Marion Bartoli, Anna Chakvetadze and Jelena Jankovic.
Stand-outs among the lower seeds are slumping Indian star Sania Mirza and Aussie Sam Stosur.
In last year's final the top-seeded Sharapova beat the No. 3-seeded Jankovic in three sets.
Seeds in action Monday at Birmingham are Czink vs. Arvidsson, Granville vs. Yan, Washington vs. N.Li, Sucha vs. Castano, and Santangelo vs. Laine.