Maria Sharapova on the Top

Maria Sharapova and Nikolay Davydenko have been voted Russia's best players for the second year in a row, the country's Tennis federation announced at its annual award gala on Sunday.

Maria has won five titles this year, including the U.S. Open, to finish number two in the world. With seven Russian women in the world's top 16, the 19-year-old Siberian Beauty beat number four and French Open finalist Svetlana Kuznetsova and sixth-ranked Nadia Petrova for the top Prize.

Maria Sharapova beat Marion Bartoli

Maria ousted France's Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-2. Maria had too much class for Bartoli, although the reigning Wimbledon champion was far from perfect.

Bartoli actually led the first set 3-2 after a break in the fourth game, but Maria caught up soon and finished off the set with a break in the 11th game. Maria then swept to a 5-0 lead in the second set only to suffer a minor hiccup when Bartoli broke her and held her serve to narrow the gap at 2-5. Maria who was quite pumped up by that stage, duly served out the match. "I was a bit sloppy in some of the games. I wished I had served a little better," said the 17-year-old. Maria Sharapova said she was happy with her season so far, having made four semi-finals so far. "I've worked very hard and I try to push myself hard and raise my game every day," Maria said.

Maria storms into quarters

Maria Sharapova stormed into the quarter-finals of the WTA Qatar Open with a comprehensive victory over Argentina's Gisela Dulko here on Wednesday.

The reigning Wimbledon champion was just too strong for her rival as she coasted to a 6-1 6-1 win to join Australia's Alicia Molik and Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova in the last eight. "It was a good match to get through," said Maria Sharapova. "It's never easy to make a comeback after an illness-enforced break, but I took my opportunities," she added. The second seeded Maria Sharapova said she still felt a bit tired from the after effects of the flu that forced her to skip the Paris Indoor Open earlier this month.
"I am still not a hundred percent but I was happy to dictate the match today and get used to the conditions here in a proper match setting," said Maria.

Maria recovered for Qatar Open !

Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova has recovered from the illness that forced her to pull out in Paris and is fit for the WTA event in Qatar on Monday.

"I was sick, down with flu and an upper respiratory illness," said Maria.
"That's why I pulled out of the Paris Open. However, now I have recovered and am able to play," the Russian world number four said on her arrival in Doha.
Sharapova's main challenge is likely to come from France's world number two Amelie Mauresmo, and fellow Russian Anastasia Myskina, champion in Doha for the last two years.