Two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova believes that her good friend and former World No. 1 Maria Sharapova can return to the pinnacle of the sport.
Former World No. 2 Kuznetsova thinks that former five-time Major winner Sharapova, who made her controversial, return to the sport after a 15-month doping suspension can rise back to the top of the WTA rankings. Svetlana, who will not be able to participate in next month’s Australian Open after undergoing surgery on her troubled left wrist made the remarks in an interview given to a Russian website Sport Express.
“Of course, if you spent so much time at the top, there is a chance to return. But there are difficulties associated with a long break in her career. It does not matter how much you train. The official match and training are completely separate stories. The body reacts differently, especially when you are under 30. However, I will not give any advice to Masha.”
“Many girls want to be like Maria Sharapova – Especially the blondes and tall ones, who play aggressive tennis. But much depends on the game style. If any girl plays like I do, she will strive to be like me.”
The Russian termed the former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli as the strangest player on the WTA tour: “There are a lot of them. For example, Marion Bartoli. She’s been with her father all her life. He’s some kind of doctor, but he started training her. And they had the strangest things I’ve ever seen in my life. For example, the father tied Marion to the fence like a horse, wrapped her knees with ice packs and put something under her heels – I do not know exactly what it was. And, though he never played tennis, threw balls at her – she was running after them in different directions. And this is only part of their training. We have even more crazy stuff.”
