
Sharapova, the 2006 US Open champ, is playing here as a wildcard after a 15-month doping ban. This is her first appearance in the year’s final Slam since 2014. After the match, she was greeted with several questions about her status, including three straight inquiries on how many drug tests she’s had in 2017. “I think the ITF can give you a number,” she said at first, referring to the International Tennis Federation. Told the ITF doesn’t have the numbers, she twice said, “At the end of the year, you’ll be able to find out.” Some players, most notably Genie Bouchard, have come out and said Sharapova didn’t deserve a wild card because she allegedly cheated. Asked how she’s treated by other players, Sharapova put a positive spin on it: ” I mean, I definitely feel the respect from the athletes. Certainly when I play against them, in terms of the level they play with. That’s important to me. I think from a respect level, when you’re able to respect your rivals and compatriots, that’s really important, and I feel that.” Roger Federer came back this year to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon after a six-month layoff due to a knee injury. Sharapova missed 15 months. Does she feel she can make similar inroads in her return? “Well, what he’s done is incredible,” she said. “I think not just myself, but a lot of people can take a lot of inspiration and motivation from what he’s done. That’s very special to see, just the passion with which he still plays and the level and the quality and the consistency. Those are all things at his age, after everything he’s accomplished, personally that’s what I always see in champions, in Roger and Rafa, Serena and Venus, that they’re still able to produce, not just produce that type of tennis but want to be there and want to compete and want to win. They’ve done it, they’ve been around the world, done it over and over again. To have that passion I think is what makes it so special.”.@MariaSharapova is pouring it on right now!
She leads Babos by a double break in the deciding set.https://t.co/1j0RKut9Tu #USOpen pic.twitter.com/p83TadZIO3 — US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2017
Sharapova, the 2006 US Open champ, is playing here as a wildcard after a 15-month doping ban. This is her first appearance in the year’s final Slam since 2014. After the match, she was greeted with several questions about her status, including three straight inquiries on how many drug tests she’s had in 2017. “I think the ITF can give you a number,” she said at first, referring to the International Tennis Federation. Told the ITF doesn’t have the numbers, she twice said, “At the end of the year, you’ll be able to find out.” Some players, most notably Genie Bouchard, have come out and said Sharapova didn’t deserve a wild card because she allegedly cheated. Asked how she’s treated by other players, Sharapova put a positive spin on it: ” I mean, I definitely feel the respect from the athletes. Certainly when I play against them, in terms of the level they play with. That’s important to me. I think from a respect level, when you’re able to respect your rivals and compatriots, that’s really important, and I feel that.” Roger Federer came back this year to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon after a six-month layoff due to a knee injury. Sharapova missed 15 months. Does she feel she can make similar inroads in her return? “Well, what he’s done is incredible,” she said. “I think not just myself, but a lot of people can take a lot of inspiration and motivation from what he’s done. That’s very special to see, just the passion with which he still plays and the level and the quality and the consistency. Those are all things at his age, after everything he’s accomplished, personally that’s what I always see in champions, in Roger and Rafa, Serena and Venus, that they’re still able to produce, not just produce that type of tennis but want to be there and want to compete and want to win. They’ve done it, they’ve been around the world, done it over and over again. To have that passion I think is what makes it so special.”.@MariaSharapova is pouring it on right now!
She leads Babos by a double break in the deciding set.https://t.co/1j0RKut9Tu #USOpen pic.twitter.com/p83TadZIO3 — US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2017
Sharapova, the 2006 US Open champ, is playing here as a wildcard after a 15-month doping ban. This is her first appearance in the year’s final Slam since 2014. After the match, she was greeted with several questions about her status, including three straight inquiries on how many drug tests she’s had in 2017. “I think the ITF can give you a number,” she said at first, referring to the International Tennis Federation. Told the ITF doesn’t have the numbers, she twice said, “At the end of the year, you’ll be able to find out.” Some players, most notably Genie Bouchard, have come out and said Sharapova didn’t deserve a wild card because she allegedly cheated. Asked how she’s treated by other players, Sharapova put a positive spin on it: ” I mean, I definitely feel the respect from the athletes. Certainly when I play against them, in terms of the level they play with. That’s important to me. I think from a respect level, when you’re able to respect your rivals and compatriots, that’s really important, and I feel that.” Roger Federer came back this year to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon after a six-month layoff due to a knee injury. Sharapova missed 15 months. Does she feel she can make similar inroads in her return? “Well, what he’s done is incredible,” she said. “I think not just myself, but a lot of people can take a lot of inspiration and motivation from what he’s done. That’s very special to see, just the passion with which he still plays and the level and the quality and the consistency. Those are all things at his age, after everything he’s accomplished, personally that’s what I always see in champions, in Roger and Rafa, Serena and Venus, that they’re still able to produce, not just produce that type of tennis but want to be there and want to compete and want to win. They’ve done it, they’ve been around the world, done it over and over again. To have that passion I think is what makes it so special.”.@MariaSharapova is pouring it on right now!
She leads Babos by a double break in the deciding set.https://t.co/1j0RKut9Tu #USOpen pic.twitter.com/p83TadZIO3 — US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2017
Sharapova, the 2006 US Open champ, is playing here as a wildcard after a 15-month doping ban. This is her first appearance in the year’s final Slam since 2014. After the match, she was greeted with several questions about her status, including three straight inquiries on how many drug tests she’s had in 2017. “I think the ITF can give you a number,” she said at first, referring to the International Tennis Federation. Told the ITF doesn’t have the numbers, she twice said, “At the end of the year, you’ll be able to find out.” Some players, most notably Genie Bouchard, have come out and said Sharapova didn’t deserve a wild card because she allegedly cheated. Asked how she’s treated by other players, Sharapova put a positive spin on it: ” I mean, I definitely feel the respect from the athletes. Certainly when I play against them, in terms of the level they play with. That’s important to me. I think from a respect level, when you’re able to respect your rivals and compatriots, that’s really important, and I feel that.” Roger Federer came back this year to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon after a six-month layoff due to a knee injury. Sharapova missed 15 months. Does she feel she can make similar inroads in her return? “Well, what he’s done is incredible,” she said. “I think not just myself, but a lot of people can take a lot of inspiration and motivation from what he’s done. That’s very special to see, just the passion with which he still plays and the level and the quality and the consistency. Those are all things at his age, after everything he’s accomplished, personally that’s what I always see in champions, in Roger and Rafa, Serena and Venus, that they’re still able to produce, not just produce that type of tennis but want to be there and want to compete and want to win. They’ve done it, they’ve been around the world, done it over and over again. To have that passion I think is what makes it so special.”.@MariaSharapova is pouring it on right now!
She leads Babos by a double break in the deciding set.https://t.co/1j0RKut9Tu #USOpen pic.twitter.com/p83TadZIO3 — US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2017
Sharapova, the 2006 US Open champ, is playing here as a wildcard after a 15-month doping ban. This is her first appearance in the year’s final Slam since 2014. After the match, she was greeted with several questions about her status, including three straight inquiries on how many drug tests she’s had in 2017. “I think the ITF can give you a number,” she said at first, referring to the International Tennis Federation. Told the ITF doesn’t have the numbers, she twice said, “At the end of the year, you’ll be able to find out.” Some players, most notably Genie Bouchard, have come out and said Sharapova didn’t deserve a wild card because she allegedly cheated. Asked how she’s treated by other players, Sharapova put a positive spin on it: ” I mean, I definitely feel the respect from the athletes. Certainly when I play against them, in terms of the level they play with. That’s important to me. I think from a respect level, when you’re able to respect your rivals and compatriots, that’s really important, and I feel that.” Roger Federer came back this year to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon after a six-month layoff due to a knee injury. Sharapova missed 15 months. Does she feel she can make similar inroads in her return? “Well, what he’s done is incredible,” she said. “I think not just myself, but a lot of people can take a lot of inspiration and motivation from what he’s done. That’s very special to see, just the passion with which he still plays and the level and the quality and the consistency. Those are all things at his age, after everything he’s accomplished, personally that’s what I always see in champions, in Roger and Rafa, Serena and Venus, that they’re still able to produce, not just produce that type of tennis but want to be there and want to compete and want to win. They’ve done it, they’ve been around the world, done it over and over again. To have that passion I think is what makes it so special.”.@MariaSharapova is pouring it on right now!
She leads Babos by a double break in the deciding set.https://t.co/1j0RKut9Tu #USOpen pic.twitter.com/p83TadZIO3 — US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2017
Sharapova, the 2006 US Open champ, is playing here as a wildcard after a 15-month doping ban. This is her first appearance in the year’s final Slam since 2014. After the match, she was greeted with several questions about her status, including three straight inquiries on how many drug tests she’s had in 2017. “I think the ITF can give you a number,” she said at first, referring to the International Tennis Federation. Told the ITF doesn’t have the numbers, she twice said, “At the end of the year, you’ll be able to find out.” Some players, most notably Genie Bouchard, have come out and said Sharapova didn’t deserve a wild card because she allegedly cheated. Asked how she’s treated by other players, Sharapova put a positive spin on it: ” I mean, I definitely feel the respect from the athletes. Certainly when I play against them, in terms of the level they play with. That’s important to me. I think from a respect level, when you’re able to respect your rivals and compatriots, that’s really important, and I feel that.” Roger Federer came back this year to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon after a six-month layoff due to a knee injury. Sharapova missed 15 months. Does she feel she can make similar inroads in her return? “Well, what he’s done is incredible,” she said. “I think not just myself, but a lot of people can take a lot of inspiration and motivation from what he’s done. That’s very special to see, just the passion with which he still plays and the level and the quality and the consistency. Those are all things at his age, after everything he’s accomplished, personally that’s what I always see in champions, in Roger and Rafa, Serena and Venus, that they’re still able to produce, not just produce that type of tennis but want to be there and want to compete and want to win. They’ve done it, they’ve been around the world, done it over and over again. To have that passion I think is what makes it so special.”.@MariaSharapova is pouring it on right now!
She leads Babos by a double break in the deciding set.https://t.co/1j0RKut9Tu #USOpen pic.twitter.com/p83TadZIO3 — US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2017
Sharapova, the 2006 US Open champ, is playing here as a wildcard after a 15-month doping ban. This is her first appearance in the year’s final Slam since 2014. After the match, she was greeted with several questions about her status, including three straight inquiries on how many drug tests she’s had in 2017. “I think the ITF can give you a number,” she said at first, referring to the International Tennis Federation. Told the ITF doesn’t have the numbers, she twice said, “At the end of the year, you’ll be able to find out.” Some players, most notably Genie Bouchard, have come out and said Sharapova didn’t deserve a wild card because she allegedly cheated. Asked how she’s treated by other players, Sharapova put a positive spin on it: ” I mean, I definitely feel the respect from the athletes. Certainly when I play against them, in terms of the level they play with. That’s important to me. I think from a respect level, when you’re able to respect your rivals and compatriots, that’s really important, and I feel that.” Roger Federer came back this year to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon after a six-month layoff due to a knee injury. Sharapova missed 15 months. Does she feel she can make similar inroads in her return? “Well, what he’s done is incredible,” she said. “I think not just myself, but a lot of people can take a lot of inspiration and motivation from what he’s done. That’s very special to see, just the passion with which he still plays and the level and the quality and the consistency. Those are all things at his age, after everything he’s accomplished, personally that’s what I always see in champions, in Roger and Rafa, Serena and Venus, that they’re still able to produce, not just produce that type of tennis but want to be there and want to compete and want to win. They’ve done it, they’ve been around the world, done it over and over again. To have that passion I think is what makes it so special.”.@MariaSharapova is pouring it on right now!
She leads Babos by a double break in the deciding set.https://t.co/1j0RKut9Tu #USOpen pic.twitter.com/p83TadZIO3 — US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2017
Sharapova, the 2006 US Open champ, is playing here as a wildcard after a 15-month doping ban. This is her first appearance in the year’s final Slam since 2014. After the match, she was greeted with several questions about her status, including three straight inquiries on how many drug tests she’s had in 2017. “I think the ITF can give you a number,” she said at first, referring to the International Tennis Federation. Told the ITF doesn’t have the numbers, she twice said, “At the end of the year, you’ll be able to find out.” Some players, most notably Genie Bouchard, have come out and said Sharapova didn’t deserve a wild card because she allegedly cheated. Asked how she’s treated by other players, Sharapova put a positive spin on it: ” I mean, I definitely feel the respect from the athletes. Certainly when I play against them, in terms of the level they play with. That’s important to me. I think from a respect level, when you’re able to respect your rivals and compatriots, that’s really important, and I feel that.” Roger Federer came back this year to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon after a six-month layoff due to a knee injury. Sharapova missed 15 months. Does she feel she can make similar inroads in her return? “Well, what he’s done is incredible,” she said. “I think not just myself, but a lot of people can take a lot of inspiration and motivation from what he’s done. That’s very special to see, just the passion with which he still plays and the level and the quality and the consistency. Those are all things at his age, after everything he’s accomplished, personally that’s what I always see in champions, in Roger and Rafa, Serena and Venus, that they’re still able to produce, not just produce that type of tennis but want to be there and want to compete and want to win. They’ve done it, they’ve been around the world, done it over and over again. To have that passion I think is what makes it so special.”.@MariaSharapova is pouring it on right now!
She leads Babos by a double break in the deciding set.https://t.co/1j0RKut9Tu #USOpen pic.twitter.com/p83TadZIO3 — US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2017