US OPEN

September 2, 2004

Maria Sharapova

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Maria.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No. She's that type of a player that can turn it on. Doesn't matter even though I won 6-0, I knew that she can come up with the goods later on. I was ready. But, you know, it was just too good from her side.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: After the first game, I thought I was pretty much in control. When I broke her, I felt that I could hit any shot from anywhere from the court. You know, that's a good feeling to have when you're in the third set. So that kind of gave me that boost. You know, I felt really good.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Just the actual thing of doing it. I mean, in practice, you practice it, and you're going in. But in match situations, sometimes I just hesitate. But I actually did it a lot more today.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, the serve advantage, I think a lot of the first serves come back here than in Wimbledon. A lot of the serves either don't come back, or it's an easy shot. Also the points are a lot shorter. The surface is a lot tougher on the body, as well.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Never played her before. I guess just go out and just play my game. Hopefully pick up the weaknesses, the strengths from the beginning.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't think I'm playing the best tennis, but I also don't want to be playing the best tennis from the first and second round. I've been able to pull it through and pull out some tough matches, which I'm very thankful for. I think my game has picked up from my last match, which is very good. Hopefully I'll maintain this.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I felt more confident in this round than I did in the last. Especially in the third set, I felt I was in control. Look, she's 30 or 40 in the world. That just shows how high the tennis level is right now.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, not lately.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Just from the Juniors a long time ago, but not much.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, just the opportunity, you know, to be a Grand Slam champion, coming into another Grand Slam. It's an amazing feeling. A lot more excitement. You know, you're a Grand Slam champion. I don't know. It's an exciting feeling.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: It does. I want to perform better, of course, and I want to do well. I love expectations, so that sort of drives me.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No. No.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, I know my limits. I personally know when is the time to work hard and when is the time to do, you know, other things off court. And I felt that I've been doing that very well. You know, unfortunately you just have to say no and be mean to many of those people, but that's just the way it goes, you know.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, yeah. You know, I'd rather say yes than no, of course, to people with any kind of questions. But no is shorter.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: A lot of the players, you know, especially the ones that are on tour right now, of course Martina was still there when I won at Wimbledon, and she congratulated me. I mean, Kim, you know, everybody.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I sort of don't want to look back at it right now because I've just got to focus on the present. You know, what happened was amazing. I just want to look forward to what's happening now.