AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2005

Maria Sharapova

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Maria, please.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: It was. I felt pretty good out there. I was hitting pretty solid, doing the right things, serving well, putting pressure on her.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, you know, if your daughter played, you know, I wouldn't see you smiling during her match so... You know, he's very intense during my matches. Obviously, all parents want you to win. But off the court, you know, he's all smiles and joking around with me.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I felt that I did everything I needed to do in order to win. You know, I was playing solid. I was concentrating very well. You know, the points that I needed to win, I won.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I remember not being very patient with her. She was a very -- she played a very good match that time and, you know, it was on clay. She definitely had the advantage there. But, you know, but a lot of things have happened since then. So, you know, hopefully I can use my experience to, you know, to beat her.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I always keep my tactics to myself.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Not as much a person, I feel more as a player. Definitely when I play top players, when I play seeded players, I know that, you know, I'm No. 4 in the world and when they see me in the draw they don't say, "Well, I really wanted to play her." So, you know, I feel a bit of confidence in myself that I know that even if I'm playing, you know, a seeded player, somebody that's been on a roll, I know that I'm, you know -- I've been in those situations as well and I know what to do and I feel more experienced.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, I heard someone said something. I didn't hear what he said.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: God, this topic was over a long time ago. Well, let's get back to 2004. And, well, what do I think? I don't think, that's my whole opinion. I don't think about, you know, what my mouth does when I play out there.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I really don't know what her best stroke is. I've only played her once, which is on clay. You know, I know she gets a lot of balls back, she's a fighter, and you can expect the best from her. Does that help (smiling)?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No. I don't remember many of my matches, especially the ones I lost.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, when I have a break from schoolwork or if I'm feeling really, really bored, I'll watch tennis, yes. But that's it.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I always like exciting matchups. I always loved when Agassi played Pete Sampras. I thought those were, you know, classic matches where you know the tennis is going to be unbelievable. I don't, you know -- there's no one in particular. Obviously, Roger is playing out of his mind right now and you'll never get bored watching him because he can come up with anything, anything you ask him to come up with. As for the women, I don't really watch the women too much.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Maria Kirilenko.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: She's going to be famous.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, I've known her for a long time because we played the same junior events in Europe under-14, I think. That's when we met up.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I'd actually like to learn more about myself (laughing).

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Well, there are other -- you know, I don't know why you just mentioned Anna. I mean, there are a lot of other people that are on the cover of People and Us every week. Yeah, I like to read gossip, but not just particularly hers, you know. I like gossip, yeah, but... But it's just a hobby, you know.