Maria Sharapova is - at 24 years of age - considered a vet on the women's tennis tour. Just don't ask her how she feels about being one of the older players on tour, as I found out when I talked with her before her first match at the Rogers Cup
"I consider myself young still," said Sharapova. "I'm 24. Just because did well when I was very young- when I was 17 - doesn't mean I'm old. I'm answering that question a lot and I'm thinking that's getting old, right?
Point taken.
Sharapova's rise up the rankings has been impressive to watch. She was in a semi-final of the French Open and made it to the Wimbledon final as well. The world No. 1 player in 2005 had to endure shoulder injuries in recent years. She had shoulder surgery in 2008 and only now is she returning to form to again be one of the best women tennis players on the planet.
"It was certainly an injury not many people have come back from, especially tennis players," said Sharapova. "It was tough going into it knowing that was a possibility. It took a very long time. I had hoped it hadn't happened at such a young stage of my career (21) but that's an athlete's life."
Now Sharapova - who was in the final of the Rogers Cup in 2009 - will look to win it while at the same time gearing up for the US Open, an event she won in 2006.
"It's (Rogers Cup) a big event for me. It's a tough draw. You've got to win 6 matches in order to be the champion," said Sharapova. "In leading up to the US Open you want to be in the best shape so it's a really good test for every one."
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