Maria Sharapova Is In Better Emotional Space Entering French Open

Written by: Staff on 24th May 2013

Maria Sharapova Is In Better Emotional Space Entering French Open

epa03714822 Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova speaks during a press conference, at Roland Garros Stadium, in Paris, France, 24 May 2013. The 2013 French Open tennis tournament starts on 26 May. EPA/CHRISTOPHE KARABA |

Maria Sharapova is in a different situation this year entering the French Open. Not only is she the defending champion for the first time, but she is in a happy place in her personal life, as she is pleased with how her romantic relationship is going with men’s player Grigor Dimitrov.

In 2012, just prior to her title run in Paris, she and her fiancée, former L.A. Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic, ended their engagement. She had seen it coming, but taking the ring off of her finger and still being able to maintain a top level wasn’t easy. But she is quite adept at compartmentalizing different facets of her life.

“It was another thing in life,” she said in an interview with Tennis-Journal. “It’s not easy and I don’t know why things work out that way, but sometimes things are going really well in your career and sometimes it’s very tough away from it all. But the really tough thing is that a lot of what goes on in my life off court is for the public to know and to see and hear.” You name most of the girls on tour and nobody talks about their personal life — when they’re going to get married, or who they’re dating, or who they’re seeing. No one else has to worry about it that much.

Sharapova isn’t the only player who has to deal with the price of celebrity. Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka both have celebrity boyfriends, and Serena Williams isn’t shy walking the red carpet, either. Sharapova is more than capable of handling the bright lights that go along with her $26 million dollars a year high profile, but that doesn’t mean that she shouldn’t be allowed to keep some things for herself.

“I am an athlete, but I didn’t sign up for celebrity,” she said. “When you’re training to be an athlete or No. 1 in the world, you’re not training your mind for celebrity status. I understand that people want to hear and write about it and that’s why I have no problem sharing some of it. But I take my personal life very seriously. I’m very family-oriented, close to my parents and I know how they raised me and I want that in my life.”

Every player has had off court issues at one time or another and that have affected their performance. But the no-nonsense Russian and world No. 2 refuses to make excuses. Perhaps that’s why she’s been so successful.

“If I have a tough day off court and I lost a match, then I just went out there and lost it,” she said. “Who cares if Bob or Sam upset me — that doesn’t matter. Everyone has breakups; everyone has relatives who are sick or who die. It’s life and you just have to live with it. I understand fans want to hear about some of it, but there’s always part of your life you want to keep to yourself.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire