I can admit it, I like and root for Maria Sharapova a lot. I know she has her detractors and rightfully so; her father is fairly horrendous. But let's break this down. She actually is more in line with most people that I hate, so why do I giver her a get out of jail free card? This needs some examination so let's take this chronologically.
1. Her Wimbledon win. Remember she came into this match as the biggest underdog since Iva Majoli won the French, and I like most underdogs. Also she upset Serena during the time when I was sooooo sick of tiara-wearing Serena. She played with guts and overcame the pressure of a huge moment, under which 99.9% of other players would have wilted. She has my respect.
2. Post Wimbledon. Ok, in the US Open after Wimbledon, she lost in the third round to Mary Pierce, which is not the worst loss ever because that was still when Pierce was somewhat viable. Sharapova-mania was out of control by this point, but she was 17 and human. Was she just an iva majoli flash in the pan? Just you wait and see.
3. The next bajillion slams. Sharapova was the consummate semifinalist (not including the French, although she was semifinalist there 2007. AND SHE HATES THE RED CLAY!). She made it to the semis of 1)Australia, losing to Serena (who went on to beat Lindsay), 2)Wimbledon, losing to Venus (who went on to beat Lindsay), 3)US Open, losing to Clijsters, (who went on to beat Pierce). The next year, she made it the semis of Australia, losing to Henin, who went on to quit in the final because her tummy hurt; she lost in the semis of wimby losing to eventual champ mauresmo and then finally, FINALLY got to another actual final at the open and won. The point is, this consistency is inspiring and pretty much rarely seen - except for that year when Venus and Serena played in the final of everything and Serena won. I didn't like that then; I mildly like that now. Anyway, Maria entirely solidified herself as legit "i am not anna kournikova" funness.
4. Her funness! Let us not forget, she is kinda fun. Her interviews and quips tend to be blunt, sarcastic, and thus kinda funny. And just when she could have been at her most annoying, out comes the "I Feel Pretty" Commercial, which should def rank in the top 10 commercials of all time.
5. Her second biggest moment. Maybe I really only like her because her biggest moments came at beating people i currently hated. See Wimbledon above (but I now like Serena). She beat Justine at the Open when no one really thought she had that in her. Plus, she beat Justine. How could I not love her?
6. Her style of play. Honestly, I think this is why I like her most of all. I just think her strategy to hit ball as hard as she can at all times is quite interesting, and kinda funny, in its severe flawedness. Yet it works. If I were a tennis player I would probably do the same thing. Recently she is bringing more variety to her game, which is necessary. Still, she will usually go about hitting the ball so unnecessarily hard, and when things arent going right, and she needs to find a way out of a funk, what does she think to do? "I guess I should just hit it even harder." I think she is a fun player to watch.
6a. Her play during the Australian Open was pretty much spectacular. It was scary where and how she was hitting winners. Mary Carillo said it best: Maria looks like a hunter out there and Ivanovic is Bambi.
7. She is pretty, and emerged at a time when the women's tour seemed to be getting increasingly nast.
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