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ROLAND GARROS

May 29, 2015

Maria Sharapova

PARIS, FRANCE

M. SHARAPOVA/S. Stosur
6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Seemed like a very emotional finish to you today. Can you explain what you were feeling after that match was through?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I was just really happy to win this one. You know, I knew it was going to be a tough one going into the match. And, you know, considering the start of the week was really tough. I knew I had a tough opponent, and I just wanted to be as ready as I could. I was really happy to win it.

Q. Are you feeling better?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah. I'm getting there. I might not sound like it, but I am (smiling).

Q. How would you sum up just your first week so far in Paris after three matches?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Just getting the job done. The conditions in the first match and today have been quite tough. And I think in those moments it's always tough to really assess the level, because as much as you want to improve and find some sort of perfection, it's really tough because you never quite know where the direction will be. Especially with the spin of my opponent today, just had to be steady and consistent, take my opportunities, and I did that quite well.

Q. Your record against Sam is getting better and better. What can you say you are doing extremely well? Because it seems like even if she could be called a clay specialist, too, you have no issue with her topspin or serve or anything.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I mean, I know that I have to take care of my service games because she's capable of serving really well. You know, I'm also a tall girl, so the kick she's able to give on the second set serve maybe doesn't bother me as much as maybe other players, and I quite like that ball. I don't know. We have had many tough matches despite my record, and it's not something that I look at very lightly when I go up to that match. I know that I have to beat a good player, and she's been playing really well and she loves playing here. For a third-round match, I thought it was a great result for me.

Q. It's Paris, so a quick fashion question. You were wearing not your Colette shoes today like the pink ones. Any particular reason why? Are you frustrated you haven't been able to show off your dress?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I had a little bit of an issue with my orthotics, so I went back to my pink shoes. I like pink, too, so I think it matches with everything. Have I been disappointed about -- I mean, my dress is great. I think it's one of my favorites, but I also, I like the top and it's keeping me warm, and it's keeping me healthy. That's the most important thing. So if I don't have to wear the dress, then I will keep wearing that and winning, I'm more than happy with that.

Q. Your next match with Lucie. Can you talk about that matchup for you.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, we haven't played in a while. I think the last time was a really tough match in Stuttgart last year where she was serving for the match. I know I have a tough one ahead of me. Lefties are always tricky. It will be my first one of the tournament. Yeah, I will definitely need to be ready, but I know what I have to do. I just have to get it done.

Q. How were the conditions out there? Seemed rather breezy, especially for someone dealing with a cold?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I mean, it wasn't freezing. It was chilly, but I think it was more of the wind. It's a bit unpredictable because you sometimes have a certain plan of what you want to do, but sometimes consistency is more important than anything else. Just getting that extra ball back because you never know, you know, taking your time or, you know, getting in the rallies, not being afraid to play an extra ball, not going for the line, giving yourself an extra margin, I think in those conditions I think that's really important.

Q. You were coughing a lot today on the court. How do you go through a match when obviously you're coughing like this. You forget about it? You're getting used to it?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I'm not really sure, because I have never really -- I have never felt like that on the court playing a Grand Slam, so this is kind of new. I'm just trying to do the best that I can with the circumstances.

Q. You're someone who has won when you're at a very young age. We are seeing now some of the players breaking through at a young age who aren't really able to back it up. Can you just talk about how difficult it is to win early and set the bar so early for yourself and try to keep it up?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Can I ask who you're speaking about?

Q. Genie, as an example.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I mean, I think, to be in a position where you have done extremely well and you've gotten really good results, you know, you've proven you belong to the top, sometimes it takes a little while. I had a very, you know, a tough experience winning -- I mean, of course I won when I was 17 years old, and all of a sudden, I thought I should be able to win every single match. It took me a while to realize that that's just not the reality of things. For me, the most important thing was nothing to do with tennis, because I know that I was still developing my game, but it was rather to do with the people I surrounded myself with that were able to make smart decisions for me. Because at that age it's tough. You know, you have so many opportunities and they are so fun, especially at a young age, to be part of great events and meet stars and, you know, to be part of, you know, a Vogue photo shoot, those are really cool things for a young girl, and I did enjoy them. But I think at the end of it all, the things that got me to that position was winning tennis matches, and that's what I still love to do and I know that without that I wouldn't get opportunities to be on the cover of magazines. So that was always my dream and my goal, and I had the right people around me to, I guess, you know, make sure that I kept my goals straight.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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