Hope is the thing with feathers

I love many different female players including, but not limited to, Li Na, Petra Kvitova and my German girls - Kerber, Görgers, Petkovic and Lisicki. But ultimately one does stand out:

Maria Sharapova

       (Picture via: http://norewardisworththis.tumblr.com/)

Here she is winning this year’s French Open and completing her Career Grand Slam.

I love Maria because she’s fierce and clutch. And she loves tennis to no end. In 2008, when she had to have shoulder surgery and ultimatley dropped out of the top 100, she could have ended her career. She had grand slams and more than enough money for the rest of her life. Instead, she adopted a new service motion, even tough that’s one of the toughest things for a tennis player to do and fought her way back to the very top, through disappointments and bad defeats. She didn’t let it get to her. Because despite the fact that many see only her beauty and public image, what she really cares about is tennis. She loves it enough to make all the pain worthwhile. And now she has the results to show for her hard work - a Career Grand Slam, backt to number one in the world and now a silver medal.

And oh, she’s such a lovely person. Despite her ice queen image (not completly unmerited but I kind of love that about her too) she is really unbelieably dorky and sweet and honest. I adore her friendship with Novak - she clearly kicks his ass all the time. And I admire how she clutch she is - she’s not one of those players who lose concentration and let a match slip throught their fingers.

So Maria - keep on fighting and winning, you really deserve everything you achieved.