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12 Stories on Maria Sharapova
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SI.com: Jon Wertheim: Five things to watch in 2009

1. Where does the Nadal-Federer passion play go from here? You'd be hard-pressed to name a more gripping and textured rivalry in professional sports. One versus two. Lefty versus righty. Grit versus polish. Nouveau versus classic. Will versus Grace, as it were. In 2008, Nadal beat Federer all four times they met --including their spellbinding Wimbledon final -- and assumed the No. l ranking in the process. Yet Federer recovered and enter 2009 within a single Major title of tying Pete Sampras' record. So long as both remain healthy, Rafa-Roger the best theater in tennis, no matter what happens.

SI.com: Jon Wertheim: Questionable judgment by Ivanovic and Sharapova; Roddick's candor

If Nadal went straight from Paris to Wimbledon, skipped any grass court warm-ups, and lost to Ivan Navarro (ATP #133) or Joseph Sirianni (ATP #154), you would question his judgement ... I hope. Same for Ivanovic and Sharapova? -- Gerry Gollin, Redlands, CA

SI.com: Jon Wertheim: Sharapova unstoppable at Australian Open

Five quick observations after watching Maria Sharapova win her third Grand Slam title, taking out Ana Ivanovic in the final of the Australian Open.

SI.com: Justin Gimelstob: Sharapova's rediscovered game has her back in final

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Maria Sharapova has some unfinished business at the Australian Open. In last year's final, she was flat-out embarrassed by Serena Williams. No surprise, then, that Sharapova has targeted this event since.

SI.com: Jon Wertheim: Sharapova's dominance, dad's belligerence

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Is it me, or is that the best anybody has seen Maria Sharapova play since she won Wimbledon? It is not easy beating Justine Henin 6-0 in a set. Sharapova was hitting powerful backhands with great angle. Also, it seems her serve is a lot better. Maybe, the shoulder injury really did affect her in 2007. I would say she is the favorite to win going on her current form. What do you think? -- Bob Diepold, Charlotte, N.C.

SI.com: Jon Wertheim: Who in the WTA draw will step up as a role model?

What's wrong with this picture? On the men's side, you have Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal -- great ambassadors for the sport, always gentlemanly and giving credit where it's due. You have Andy Roddick, always good for a nice witty comment or two even in defeat, and as far as I know, none of the other top 10 players have been accused of gamesmanship.

SI.com: From Russia with Lust

Move over Chrissie and Greg: tennis queen Maria Sharapova has confessed to having a crush on one of the world's top golfers. And the coveted title of being Sharapova's object of desire isn't going to Tiger Woods.

SI.com: Inside Tennis: Hot Topic

She looked pretty, Maria Sharapova did -- pretty damn uncomfortable. With on-court conditions resembling the inside of a kiln, Sharapova was basted in sweat, alternately flushed and pale, during her first-round Australian Open match last week. While the top-seeded Russian overcame a feisty opponent, France's Camille Pin, and temperatures that reached 116° on the court, after the match she called on tournament organizers to rethink the event's Extreme Heat Policy, which outlines conditions for suspending a match before it begins but does not allow for a match in progress to be suspended. "It's inhumanly possible to play three hours in that kind of heat," she said.

SI.com: She's back

Here are five things we learned watching Serena Williams put a comprehensive beating on Maria Sharapova this afternoon in the Australian Open final:

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova was a promising 16-year-old phenom in 2003 when TIME magazine picked her as "Who's Next" in tennis. After making it that year to the fourth round in her first appearance at Wimbledon, the 6-foot-tall, attractive, blond Russian was instantly compared to Anna Kournikova.

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