Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as the saying goes. So when Maria Sharapova didn’t compete for nearly a year, fans missed her – her six feet two inch modelesque presence, her flashy dresses, and her competitive spirit. Even her grunt was missed. So screech to your heart’s content, Maria, what was once considered distracting, is music to our ears.

FACING A ROOM OF INQUIRING REPORTERS, MARIA SHARAPOVA:

 

1. Shrugs a big loss. “You have to get on with your life. You know, there are many worse situations. There are people that don't even know what a tennis match is in the world,” she said after losing in the first round of the 2010 Australian Open.

2. Uses few words. “I love to compete. It drives me everyday.”

3. Matter-of-factly disagrees. “Actually, I thought I served pretty big,” she said, when questioned about an 11 double fault match.

Explaining the details of defeat to the press can be agonizing – and annoying – to athletes. So when Maria was offered a chance to answer questions about the positive points in her life, she welcomed the opportunity. And she has plenty of encouraging news to share: her shoulder feels fine following last year’s surgery, and she signed a 70-million dollar deal with Nike. But if you want to see Maria beam with joy, ask her about her new relationship – with a racquet! Here, the Russian explains the process of finding the perfect partner in equipment.

Finding The Perfect Partner

Every player, from recreational to touring pro, dreams of finding that one perfect racquet.
How did you find yours?
I’ve been with Prince since I was 9 years old. Not only do I have a very special relationship with them so does my Team. Whenever I’m looking to add something new to my game and my father and coach think the racquet can help, they speak with Prince engineers. Their development team is amazing; they know my game and help me push to the next level. To be 100 percent honest, I try not to get very involved in the racquet selection process. I leave this up to my Team – they know what I need.

Was it love at first swing?
When I play test, I like the racquet to feel good from the moment I pick it up. I can tell with the first few swings if it has a chance. I was trying several frames when I first picked up the new EXO3 Black and I knew it was right on the very first ball. This is hands down the best racquet I have ever used.

The differences between racquets appear very small – one might be head balanced one-point heavier, another one has a beam width a fraction of a milimeter smaller. Do you notice these differences when you demo?
Yeah, I do. The changes may be hard to describe, but I know them when I swing the racquet. The
EXO3 feels similar to the past EXO3 Speedport Black, but with something extra.

 

PATIENCE. A Learned Skill

Maria Sharpova’s love of tennis was tested when she took a break from competition to rehabilitate her shoulder. During the 9-month interruption in 2009, Maria developed a new skill – patience. Prior to surgery, patience wasn’t necessary for the shooting star who achieved success seemingly easy. At 14, she was the youngest female to reach the final of the Junior Australian Open; she won her first Grand Slam, Wimbledon 2004, at 17; and titles at the 2006 US Open and 2008 Australian Open followed.

Maria returned to the Tour in May 2009, ranked outside of the top 100. She grinded through matches and ended the year ranked in the Top 20. Despite the sound comeback, her game – her serve, in particular – was not in perfect form at the Australian Open. Her service motion had glitches and cost her important points, contributing to a loss in the first round to Maria Kirilenko. Sharapova says that “there's still a lot to improve” and that she doesn’t blame her serve for lost matches. She’s happy with her progress and will work to improve on consistency.

“You know, it’s just a bad day. A bad day's not going to stop me from doing what I love. I'm still gonna go back on the court and work hard and perform. I'll be back here on a Saturday of the second week, so you'll watch.”

Finding The Perfect Partner

You connected with your racquet rather suddenly. Since technology is constantly evolving, isn’t it possible that today’s perfect partner in equipment may be out-dated and replaced as early as next year?
I remember when I was younger playing with the Thunder Light, then the Hornet, and then with
O-Technology. You know, they all felt right in my hand at the time… until Prince delivered the next great racquet advancement. They’ve done a great job putting the best technology in my hands at every stage of my career. I don’t know what they’ll develop next year, but right now my racquet feels
perfect in my hand, and that’s what counts.

Is it true that your racquet actually helps your shoulder injury?
Yeah, I feel like Prince really built this EXO3 Speedport Black with my shoulder in mind. I wanted the same power that I always got, but I needed more comfort and control. It’s the most comfortable racquet I’ve ever used, and I actually even get more power with this racquet, too.

Okay, for all of us recreational players who test racquets without the help of a coach and development team, what advice can you offer to help streamline our selection process?
I think a recreational player should play test racquets with a teaching pro – maybe take a lesson while you try the racquets. The teaching pro can help find you the best racquet.

And, lastly, would you describe the relationship with your racquet purely physical, or do you ever talk to it before, during, or after a performance?
No, I can’t say I talk to my racquet – but, I also can say that I never throw my racquets either!

- Teresa Thompson