Maria has entered the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina which runs from April 14-20. Charleston is a tier 1 and is played on green clay.
Charleston is 1 of only 2 events played on green clay on the Sony Ericsson WTA tour, the other is Amelia Island. Green clay is faster than red clay and is good preparation for the events in Europe played on red clay.
Maria has played here once before way back in 2003 when she battled through the qualifying and lost in the 1st round.
Q. She did a good job dictating with her forehand, she served pretty well. But with you, you never seemed to get any rhythm.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I was just playing with a much slower pace than I normally play with. You know, I wasn't I wasn't going for my shots as I normally do, and as usual, I wasn't seeing the ball that good. I wasn't taking the short balls and doing anything with them, kind of giving her the opportunity to get back in the points.
There were a couple important points that could have changed the match, and she ended up winning them. I think from that she gained confidence and kind of steamrolled after that in the third set.
Q. Do you have any idea why you weren't doing those things?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I'm human. You know, I'm allowed to make a few mistakes in my life and in my career. You know, that kind of was the story today.
Q. Is it fair to say you're just a little bit worn out from Australia to now?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Absolutely, yeah. Definitely. I'm playing a lot of tennis, been flying a lot. It's all been work since I took a week off after the Champs. It's pretty much been nonstop from the season to all the tournaments I've been playing, and Fed Cup as well.
It takes a toll on your body and your mind as well. You feel like you have to go out on the court and, you know, spend a lot of emotion and energy out there, and sometimes you just don't have it for every match.
Q. Is there any obvious opportunity for you to take a break?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Absolutely. I plan my schedule, so, yeah, if I feel like I need to, yeah, absolutely. I think I just have to be clever about the decision I mean, this year is so young and I still have so many big tournaments ahead of me and so many goals that I want to achieve this year, so, you know, I obviously have to be smart about how I'm going to what my schedule is going to be like from today.
Just kind of, you know, analyze it with my team a little bit and, you know, and set my priorities to where they should be.
Q. Have you got any idea when that might be at this stage, or when you might take your next break?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't know. Maybe next week. I don't know. (laughter.)
Q. Did you think going into the third set, you know, maybe it will come, maybe it will get a little more fiery, the balls will land in, maybe I can kind of fake my way through it? Or did you think, Ah, it's not going to be my day anyway?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: There are a lot of maybes. Not a lot of yeses.
Ummm, like I said, if I could have got my hands on a few of those tougher points and kind of gave her something to think about, then maybe it could have gone my way somehow, but just didn't.
Q. When she's in a good way, she is not the kind of player you want to be playing on a day when you're not at your best, huh?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, she's a very tough, tough player. She's not No. 2 or 3 in the world for nothing, you know. Absolutely not. I give her a lot of respect for her consistency for what she's able to do on the court and how strong she is and how many balls she gets back.
You know, she showed a lot of that today and, you know, this court definitely suits her, her game and her serve as well, because the ball kind of jumps up. And even though I'm 6'2" wish I was like 6'5" on these courts it would be a little bit easier. But it still kind of jumps up away from you, and especially today she used that to her advantage.
Q. So what do you do during the next week? Do you put the racquet down and just relax before Miami or...
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't know. (laughter.) I'm going to play it by ear. You know, my body is kind of hurting a little bit. Like I said, I just I just want to I just want to be smart about the decisions I make, and that's going to be, I don't know, made after a good night's rest, and have a little sitdown conversation.
You know, just see. I mean, you know, at this point of the year I can't really be putting any pressure to myself and saying, You got to go out there and play next week. If I'm not going to be ready, I'm not going to be ready. No one's forcing me to go out there and play. It just has to be smart decisions just because this year is so young and because I've already played so much. As a 21 year old, I, you know, I've got to kind of stand up and make some mature decisions that will help me throughout my career, you know.
Q. It's sort of unfair in a way, too, that Justine, Serena and Venus get to take this off, right?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: What?
Q. Justine, Serena, and Venus don't play here, but Miami is a mandatory. So if you take off Miami and they're playing, is it a big deal for the tour or not?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I actually don't know. You can ask them. I'm sure that there's a pretty big fine, but the body's more important than a fine.
Q. And mentally you're talking about being mentally fatigued. I imagine that's considerable, too.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: It's not so much mentally as just getting yourself prepared with every single match you play. I mean, to be honest, I haven't taken more than three days off since I started training for Australia. You know, even when you're taking the time off, you know, in the back of your mind you're already you know, you are very careful about what you're doing.
In your mind you're already thinking about your train and go your goals and you never really have time to just kind of chill out. You know, that's why it's hard when you have a season so long to kind be ready each and every tournament and feel like it's a big priority. I mean, you're trying, but it's a bit unrealistic.
Q. Has it been kind of catching up with you, or did you just feel it today? In other words, did you feel it in your last match or did you just feel it today? Kind of today?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, actually when I got to Doha I wasn't feeling good for about a week. I wasn't, you know, I wasn't sure that's because of the jet lag from all the way from LA to Doha or what it was.
Then I eventually got sick. But I was, you know, I was able to play through. I mean, obviously I was playing, you know, with confidence and I was playing good tennis, and that helped me get through that tournament.
And then, you know, in the back of your mind you know that you have, you know, at that point even before Doha you're supposed to play Dubai and have to play in Indian Wells and Miami, so you're already kind of thinking towards that and you're working towards that.
But as you go on, things change and physically you start feeling it, and, you know, in your mind as well, so...
Q. What do you think Svetlana's chances are of going all the way here the way she's playing now?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't like to evaluate next matches, because I don't know if it sounds greedy or selfish, but when I'm out of the tournament, it's sort of done for me. I don't really like to think about what's going to happen next rounds, that's why it's good when you win. You don't have to answer that question right? Or any of the others you guys ask. 
Q. So what clicked for you in the second set?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Umm, I think maybe just coming back from being behind and being two set points down and not really being tentative. I went for my shots, I started going for my serves, and after that I just probably gained a little confidence from that. And, yeah. Being more consistent. That helps.
Q. In practice, have you been more consistent on your groundstrokes than you've been in matches, or has the ball been flying on you a little bit in practice, too?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: It's been flying here. I think that's because of the desert. It always flies a little bit. Tension of the racquet usually changes depending on matches. In Doha I was playing every match during the night, and here I've played first two matches during the day and this was my first night match. I've had to adjust definitely.
Q. Have you felt like you played well in any of the matches here so far? Times I've been here in the press conferences you've been a little disappointed with your play.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I was disappointed in the beginning of that match, but as the match went on, I definitely picked it up and started playing a lot better, yeah. Best that I probably have this tournament.
Q. So do you feel like you're starting to find your groove here at this tournament now?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: It's about time. I played four matches. How long do I need, right?
Q. Are people purposely not mentioning the streak to you, kind of superstitiously not mentioning the streak?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Who?
Q. People around you, friends.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: You guys never forget to mention it. That's why I have you.
Q. It's 17 now. I mean friends and even spectators or people coming up? No?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: To be honest, for my team or for myself and for my friends or for my parents, it doesn't really matter how many matches I've won in a row. You take each tournament as seriously as you can.
With every tournament there's a new beginning, and hopefully you're the last one standing. At the end of the day, numbers are very relative.
Q. Do you remember winning a tournament playing let's say a B level the whole way?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah.
Q. Which one?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Umm, there have been a few in my career. (laughter.)
Probably the biggest one maybe was the '06 US Open. For the first four rounds I didn't feel like I was playing amazing tennis. Just on the important points I was just tougher than the girls I played. And after that, I somehow -- and then I produced really great tennis in the semis against Am�e, and in the final against Justine. I played really well back to back. Considering I didn't play that well before, it was a good surprise in a way.
Q. So in some ways it's raising your level to the level of who you're playing, too, huh?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, it's a challenge in a way, which I always enjoy, because I know it's pretty unrealistic to go into every event, match after match, and being emotionally there and to have your tennis there as well, and make every shot perfect and do all the right things.
In a way, because I haven't been able to produce amazing tennis here, in a way it challenges me. By giving myself an opportunity each match, I'm able to challenge myself to get better in the next round, and that's a good challenge to have.
As long as I'm still giving myself opportunities, you know, then challenge is in front of you the next day, so...
But, I mean, I'll definitely have to improve for my next one.
Q. Svetlana next. She's had a pretty good week dropping just one set.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Right.
Q. Thoughts on that match?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: She's a very tough competitor, and she's what, 3 in the world right now? You can never underestimate her level of play, because she's physically one of the toughest girls out there. She gets a lot of balls back and she makes you work for everything.
I don't know what my record is against her, but I think -- I think either we're pretty even or I'm ahead a little bit, but last time I played against her was also in the Championships and we had a tough three setter. But we know each other's games well, and, you know, just going to be a matter of, as always, the person who takes her chances.
And, you know, personally I'll definitely be looking forward to stepping it up and, you know, playing better tennis.
Q. This is a bit of a sleepy tournament, in a sense. It's not a big busy city, there's not a lot of fresh air.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Fresh air? It's a bit sandy. I drank like two gallons during my match the other day. I think my skin is still a little sandy.
Q. But because of sort of the situation here in terms of a resort and all that, do you have a different mindset enjoying it a different way because it's different than most of the big cities where you play?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: To be honest, it was more relaxing a few years ago because it felt more low key and I didn't feel like there were so many spectators. I feel like the tournament has grown and there are a lot more people driving in from LA. Just spectators that just want to watch, tennis fans that just want to watch tennis.
So the tournament, it's a good tournament for me because my friends get to come out from LA and watch me play, you know, which they don't usually get to do apart from LA tournament.
Yeah, it's different, but every event is different in a way. And also, we get -- sometimes we get days in between, so you kind of get your rest and recovery then, and...
Q. You don't go mountain climbing or playing golf?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, that's for my dad to do. I don't do the climbing. I take naps.
Q. That's really exciting.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: That is the best afternoon that I have: A nap.
Q. You like having your friends come out to play, but do you feel like when they come out that you have to put on a better performance just because they're around?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Ah, uumm, yeah. It's strange, because I always feel like I have to take care of them in a way, because, you know, they came all the way here to watch you, and so you have to take care of all the tickets and the credentials and make sure, you know, you go out, you go to dinner with them.
So in a way, you feel responsible in a different way compared to other tournaments, and sometimes you need to draw the line at a certain point, because you still have to treat, you know, every tournament with respect and treat it seriously.
But, you know, I don't have too many -- you know, all of them are pretty close friends and they don't come -- sometimes they come on the weekends and, you know...
Q. So they don't say, We want to make a dinner by 9:00 so please finish this match by...
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, no, they totally understand. No, no, my friends -- my friends are very cool and absolutely understand, yeah.
Q. How much do they know about tennis?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Umm, over the years, a lot. One of my friends who's an actress just got into it ever since we met. She's telling me that now she hates me because she is sometimes up at 2:00 in the morning watching the men play, which, I'm, like, wow, that's just great. Thank you.
So sometimes she's like, I hate you for getting me into this, but... You know, it's cool in a way. Some of my friends played tennis when they were younger. One of my really good friends was, that I work with Nike, used to play tennis in college, and now we're working buddies.
Many of my friends I've met through work, and a girlfriend in LA is, who I've known since I was 9 or 10 years old. So I have, you know, different friends and different in different areas, but we all really get along. And, yeah, this is actually the time that a lot -- I had dinner with them like a week ago. Everyone came up here. Yeah.
Q. How often would you meet someone who doesn't know who you are?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Umm, well, I don't usually ask them. I don't usually walk around going, Do you know who I am?
Well, actually here. It's very entertaining. I have a little cafe that I usually go to for breakfast and lunch here, and this morning I went to breakfast. I had one couple, a couple sitting on my right, that were talking tennis and saying, you know, the match between Sharapova and Hantuchova will go either way.
I'm looking at them. And I'm, like, (laughter.) We're sitting next to each other. So I was like, Oh, please, I hope they don't recognize me now. And then we had another couple that were sitting a few tables away from us also talking about the tennis and they're analyzing all the matches and the games. It was really fascinating to get like, a, you know, a side view of things.
Q. Did the people recognize that it was you? They never did?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, I kind of had my hat low. I put on the hood. It was like -- because it's great. You get to hear some amazing things.
Q. Just a short question. Novak talked to us about --
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, goodness. Again?
Q. I know. Singing at the French Open and all. Can he sing?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Can he sing? He hasn't sang for me. I haven't heard him sing.
Q. What did she do well?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: She was just really solid, and, you know, she played smart, I guess, but I felt like I was too worried about what she was doing rather than being conscious of what I had to do. That sometimes hurts me in a way, because I'm better off just concentrating on the things that I have to do in order to win the match.
The score should have been 2 and 3 or 4, and it was a three-set match. It could have gone either way, so...
Q. Do you have any idea why you were thinking about what she was doing? Because you've often said you've just got to take care of your side of the net.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah. Maybe because I never played her before. You know, but I did win the first set pretty closely. I wasn't playing my best tennis, far from it, but I still won the set comfortably. I just didn't take those opportunities, and then once you don't take them you start thinking a little bit, because your opponent's all of a sudden back in the match and it just becomes a battle out there.
Q. Were you having a problem reading her second serve, or were you just missing?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Missing.
Q. Yeah?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah. (laughter.)
I'd go on -- I'd go on these streaks of returning well, I thought, and then I'd just miss them some, and then, I don't know. Just one of those days, I guess.
Q. Was there anything with the stadium with the shadows this time of day? Seemed kind of uneven on court. I don't know if that was a factor.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, you know, we started the match with it being sunny and hot, and in the middle of it you had the shadows, and then we ended the match in complete shadow.
But it's not really -- it's not really an excuse, you know. It was the same for my opponent. I was definitely not seeing the ball well, as well as I usually do.
I wasn't moving up to the ball. I wasn't seeing the short balls whatsoever at all. There were a lot of points that I could have hit and come in and finished off at the net. I was just hesitant and didn't get a good hit on them, and she took the ball and made a few passing shots, but...
Live and learn.
Q. When you miss Most of the time, do you feel like you know why you miss, and are you able to make adjustments?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: It depends on the situation. If you go through a streak of missing a few balls in a row, then you get pretty angry and you just -- you start asking yourself questions on why all of a sudden you're making errors.
But I usually -- there are a few things that I think about, you know, when I start making those errors, and I just try to concentrate on them. It's always tougher to come back from making those errors and start playing consistent again. You know, it's one of the things I'm working on.
And even though, you know, I didn't have a good day, at the end of the day you come out with a win, and you just, hopefully for the next match, you improve and get better.
Q. You played so well this year. Is this the most you've struggled this year in a match?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I had a couple three setters in Doha, but the conditions there and here are completely different. You have two completely different courts. We were playing on Rebound Ace there the first few matches over there, Mach 50 winds where you basically it wasn't even tennis at times.
And then, you know, here you're in the desert. The ball bounces a lot higher over here, the court's different, playing different opponents. So you just kind of -- it just depends on the matches. You know, I had a good opening round.
I realize I'm not going to be able to play, you know, great, fantastic tennis. But I think most importantly it's just -- I've got to keep my concentration out there and keep my focus for a longer period of time.
Q. Daniela says she's motivated because she feels like she owns this place. You won here two years ago, and you have a good record against her, but she does seem to play a little bit her on center court. So just talk about that match.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Considering two of the three titles she's won were here, of course those would be her words. I've had success here and over the year I've played great tennis and had many good memories here.
She's playing well this year. You know, the last time I played her was at the championships, which was indoors. This is a different part of the year and a new match. We've played each other numerous times and we know each other's games well. But, you know, it all comes down to the person that takes their chances and is more solid.
Q. A lot of people are talking about the appearance on TV this evening of Monica Seles on Dancing With The Stars?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Is that tonight or yesterday night?
Q. I believe it's tonight.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: It's tonight, oh.
Q. So you come from the country that probably has the best history of dance in the world. Have you ever gone to any of the great dancing performances in Russia, done much dancing yourself?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Not in public, no. (laughter.)
I keep it to the areas where not many people see what I'm doing. Obviously Russia has a lot of, you know, dance and the art, you know, and that type of culture behind them. When I was younger my mother would always take me to the local ballet, and she'd always -- she'd always be the one looking for programs to see where the new musicals are and the museums and all that.
But as far as Dancing With The Stars, I mean, I don't know if I'm going to be -- where I'm going to be tonight and what time it is, but hopefully --
Q. 9:00.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: It's at 9:00? God, you guys are on top of it.
Q. I mean, Lindsay's despondent that she won't be able to see it.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, she's playing tonight?
There's always TiVo. Good thing about technology.
Q. If you could go on the show and dance with anyone, can you think of anyone you'd like to dance with?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, let's -- I don't even know if I'll do that. I don't know. I mean, definitely not during my career. After -- I mean, maybe, just have a good laugh at myself.
But I'm a pretty competitive person, so if I do get in the competition, I'm just going to make sure I train a lot. I'm sure they do a lot of training, as well. They must, because I've seen some episodes, and they're pretty good for people that don't really dance. I mean, they're pretty good and train.
Q. Ana Ivanovic yesterday spoke to us a lot about how she reads Freud, and she went on for about 10 minutes.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: How she what?
Q. Read Freud, Sigmund Freud, the psychologist.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't know who that is.
Q. The psychologist. Very famous?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, psychologist, sorry.
Q. And she went into the details about how she is knowledgeable about the subject. I was wondering what you read? Do you read Russian authors, like Dostoevsky, in spare time?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I try not to read a lot of psychology-related things. Actually, I just finished school year and a half, so during the time I was in school I was basically reading schoolwork. Other than that I never had time to read, and so the last year and a half is the first time that I've actually gotten an opportunity to read books. You know, recently I've been reading a lot about Chernobyl, because I'm going on a -- I'm involved in Chernobyl-affected areas with the United Nations.
There are a lot of projects that are going on right now. That's kind of been my main focus, and the last, about, six or so months I've been doing a lot of research on that. That's kind of been my homework. And then on the planes I just read things that, like, just novels that I can read and forget about the next day.
Q. You have given $100,000 to that project. Can you little bit more elaborate on the United Nations and Chernobyl?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, the next activity I'm doing with them is I'm going on a field trip right after Wimbledon for about three days, and I'm going to be visiting the projects that, the money that I donated and all the things that are being developed and the hospitals and the computer centers and there are many buildings and -- you know, many other areas that are getting involved within the region as well.
I'm finally going to see how that has developed, because I haven't actually been in that area. And I'm also announcing a few projects that they're going to start developing, as well. Very excited about it. I haven't been back to Belarus since I was a very young girl, and I had to make sure that I can go to my grandma's house and have some good home cooking, as well.
Q. Sorry to talk about tennis again, but have you ever felt more confident on the court than you do right now?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Umm, it goes day by day, because every tournament is different, and obviously you treat the Grand Slams as obviously the biggest ones, and these -- when I came into Doha, I was kind of -- you know, it was a strange feeling in a way, because after a Grand Slam, you know, tournaments that are lower just, in a way, don't seem that -- not that they don't seem that important, but -- I don't know.
It's hard to explain, because after playing with so much emotion at a Grand Slam and beating top players, when I get out there, it's like, this doesn't really mean much right now. Maybe if I was in that position last year I would have thought of it differently. But I think these tournaments I treat as kind of the buildup towards the next Grand Slam. You know, during these tournaments, even though I haven't really done much of it, but I try to work on the things that are going to get me better and that I've worked on in practice, and hopefully take that to the courts, you know, because I'd maybe rather lose here earlier than in a Grand Slam, so...
Q. So how do you like the new WTA thing about being able to call down your coach any time you want during one set?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: It's not new.
Q. I'm not talking about after sets, but now you can call them at any changeover.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I didn't even know that.
Q. So are you going to do it after the fifth game of your next match then?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: So you can do it any time during the set?
Q. Once a set, unless there's...
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, goodness. The things the WTA Tour thinks of, huh? I don't even think it really matters. I'm definitely not going to use it. If I'm going to use it, I'm going to use it in between sets if I need it. But I don't see myself using it.
I hope I'm not in a situation to use it in the middle of a set.
Q. You've talked about him before, and I know he's your good friend, but as a coach, how much he's helped you and how much that relationship has helped your tennis overall?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Tremendously, because he -- he was a player and he was in match situations. He knows that you are a not going to be able to play perfect every day. He knows, you know, when the conditions change, you know, adjusting is important.
It's not like he changed something majorly in my game. It's the little things that he's been able to, you know, to tell me and encourage me on, and we've worked on other things in my game, as well, you know, repeatedly.
But he's, I think, more as a friend he's just -- he's done an incredible job of just knowing -- because he was a player, he knew when you're going through a bad time that you're never going to be able to play your best tennis and produce the best shots.
He knows what it feels like to play with confidence, and I think just the experience of someone who's played is huge, because he knows what you're feeling inside and what you're going through in certain situations.
Q. What do you like about Novak Djokovic as a tennis player and colleague and as well as a person?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: He's just really funny, really entertaining. You know, tennis -- tennis in a way, I always say, lacks that a little bit. You know, compared to other sports, I think, you know, we should have more personalities like him, because it really brings so many fans outside of the game into our sport.
You know, he's just very outgoing and fun. That's probably because he's only 20 years old, so (laughter.)
Q. Unlike somebody else.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: But he's just a really fun and a funny guy. You know, doesn't take life too seriously, which is good to see, but yet, you know, he's a hard worker. He's already won a Grand Slam and he's got his feet on earth, you know, right now. So hopefully he will continue that. I'll make sure he does.
It's good to have those types of players and personalities. It just makes it so much more fun because you want to watch it, you know, either live or on TV, because it's entertaining.
Q. You're such a good sport. You know, there was lots of talk about when he was impersonating and all of this. Apparently, I don't know about it, but apparently he's going to be on Jay Leno. You're going to watch it or see it?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think it was already on Jay Leno. Yeah, he told me about it.
Q. And?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, he told me they asked about me again. (laughter.) He's like, of course. And then showed the impersonations I guess is all I know. So he warned me before it actually aired. Yeah, he always warns me, but...
Q. Have you ever gone on YouTube to see how many videos they have of him impersonating you on YouTube?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I'm sure there are tons but no, I haven't. I saw him do it once; that's enough. While having a family dinner at home watching him at the US Open. That was great.
Q. What did your family say about the impersonation?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: My mom was like, Do you see what he's doing? (laughter.) I'm like, Yes, mom, it's right in front of me. As we're eating our steak. That was the first time I actually saw it was at the US Open when I was at home watching tennis on TV, which was quite sad at the time.
Q. Andy Roddick lost today obviously, and for the last few years he's been kind of stuck in the middle of the pack, in the middle of the top 10, No. 5, No. 6, and he wants to get to that next level. I'm curious, as a player yourself, when you get to a certain level of play and you're practicing every day, how hard is it to really make improvements where you see the results and you really feel it to the point where you can kind of break through?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, I don't think as a 20 year old I should be giving advice to someone that's, you know, how old is he? 26, going on 20? (laughter.)
No, I think he's got a lot more experience than I do.
Q. I'm not even saying for advice, just have you ever felt like you've hit a wall and you just can't get better? And then after a while, maybe after a year or two, you start seeing better results?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, every athlete is going to be, you know, is going to have their peaks and is going to have their downfalls. At my age I've already had my high notes. I've had my, you know, share of low notes, as well.
That just comes from, you know, not a lot of confidence or injuries or whatever it may be. But, you know, it's about what you learn from it and the attitude you take from it, and, you know, how you deal with it.
Because at the end of the day those moments, you know, personally have made me stronger and have made me, you know, appreciate things a lot more. You know, when I do win matches and when I come out of, you know, matches where I'm not playing well but I come out and I win them just because I'm tough, I think of those, you know, tough moments where I was pushing myself and I was trying to get myself going.
I mean, last year for me was a huge example. You know, it was very frustrating. I had many downfalls, and many times where I could have just said, I'm going to give tennis a break for a little bit, maybe a month or so go on vacation, but I just kept going.
I had a great team around me, positive team around me that just kept me in that -- you know, was trying to keep me in that positive and happy bubble. For people -- I mean, I don't think Andy is necessarily, I mean, just because he lost today, everyone's human, you know. It's not that big of a deal. I'm sure he'll bounce back in full force.
Q. How deep is Gwen Stefani into tennis? Does she talk about it a lot when you hang out with her?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't talk to her that often, actually. I haven't -- I just met her I think a couple years ago. I think after I won the US Open. But I don't really --
Q. Didn't she just do a XO with you before the tournament?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't think she was there. I think Gavin was there.
Q. He's big into tennis.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: He's' huge. I think he practices every day. He's a fanatic with Murphy. They always practice in LA.
Q. He's decent?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I've never played against him. I see him practicing, I do. Especially here every single year.
Q. Can you talk about your next opponent? Were you surprised how easily she won today against Mauresmo?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I can't say too much, because I've never played against her, haven't watched too much of her on TV. Before the tournament we did that little match exhibition, mixed doubles. She was one of the girls I played against. That was the only time I've really seen her play. It was in the mixed doubles, and Novak was on my side and then Marat was on the other side, so it wasn't much of a match. It was just a lot of laughing.
You know, when you're going against someone you've never played before, I think the best thing to do is try to figure her out early in the match in the first few games. And, you know, I know I always say this, but just try to do your job on your side of the court, you know. That's worked for me in the past, so...
Q. Were you surprised by that score today?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Against Am�e? What was the score?
Q. 1 and 2.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: You know, Am�e hasn't been doing that great since her injuries, and, you know, it's never easy coming back. I mean, I haven't seen her play or even on TV or anything, so, you know, I really don't know.
My coach saw it -- he saw a little bit before the match, but he hasn't told me anything, so...
Q. Marat and Novak are two of the whackiest players on tour.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Two of the what?
Q. Whackiest, most fun loving.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: You can say that again.
Q. Who was funnier between the two?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Who is funnier? They have different humor. Novak just doesn't stop talking, and Marat finds a way to -- like, he'll be quiet for a really long time and then he'll come up with a good one-liner. So between -- I mean, we played for maybe an hour, and I couldn't stop laughing.
Q. So are Novak's jokes and comments off court as funny as his mime routines on court? Is he that funny off court, as well?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, he's really outgoing. It's fun to know someone, you know, that knows, is an athlete, knows what you're going through, and also as a friend, you can chat over, you know, other things and tennis, as well. You know, not take life too seriously, which he doesn't do.
Q. Sorry to ask you this.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Uh-oh.
Q. It's not necessarily a subject that you like, but just recently in Australia - you may have heard about this - a nine-year-old girl in Melbourne was banned because of grunting, banned from tennis. She says her idol is Maria Sharapova. What are your thoughts on something like that for a nine-year-old girl?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I didn't exactly read about it, but I did hear that she was banned. I asked my manager about it, and he actually told me that someone called him and said the story was sort of made up and that she wasn't actually banned. Someone told her in the next court to be quiet, so I think it kind of...
Q. Apparently the woman that was overseeing the whole competition said, Either you stop grunting or you don't come back.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, I don't think that's right. You know, I've grunted since I was four years old, and, I mean, you know, it's unfortunate, very unfortunate, yeah, and I hope that it doesn't become too serious for her.
Q. Monica Seles also did, you know. I played with her when she was a young girl. She did all the time, you know. You might not remember, otherwise her career couldn't exist.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Probably mine, either. (laughter.) 
