Why there was more to Sharapova’s win against Wozniacki than meets the eye
4:04 am | January 18, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:
8:40 AM ET
MELBOURNE, Australia — From the moment the Australian Open draw was released eight days ago, Maria Sharapova said she anticipated a clash with defending champion Caroline Wozniacki in the third round. “It was definitely a match I looked forward to,” Sharapova said. “But obviously I had to get there first, and so did she.”
The opportunity to challenge herself against one of the best players in the world was certainly tantalizing to Sharapova, but there was more behind her eagerness to play Wozniacki in Melbourne. The Dane was outspoken in the early months of Sharapova’s return from a 15-month doping suspension two years ago, questioning the way in which the WTA handled her re-entry onto the tour. Then, when Wozniacki was bumped to an outside court at the 2017 US Open while Sharapova made her Grand Slam return on Arthur Ashe, Wozniacki had harsh words for the tournament’s officials.
“Putting out a schedule where the No. 5 is playing on court five, fifth match on after 11 p.m., I think that’s unacceptable,” Wozniacki said back then. “And when you look on center court — I understand completely the business side of things — but someone who comes back from a drugs sentence, performance-enhancing drugs, and all of a sudden gets to play every single match on center court, I think that’s a questionable thing to do.”