tennisnet.com › WTA › Porsche Tennis GP Stuttgart

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Maria Sharapova - From the "cow on ice" to the "Terra-Pova"

In the course of her career, Maria Sharapova has developed from a lover of quick rubbers to a lover of clay courts. And for fast cars: she won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix three times in a row and became a Porsche brand ambassador.

by Florian Goosmann / with content from the Porsche Newsroom
last edit: Apr 24, 2020, 02:10 pm

The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix 2020 is unfortunately canceled due to the corona pandemic. In a tennisnet special, we look back with our partner Porsche in exclusive interviews and extensive articles on the most beautiful stories of the past years.

The day that Maria Sharapova became one of the best clay court players of all time was a banal autumn day in New York, where she was put a big "X" on her right shoulder before being pushed into the operating room .

Sharapova had not planned to win in Stuttgart at the time. She also had no intention of winning the French Open. Or at a bigger tournament on sand at all. When her shoulder string was patched up again, however, she had lost her flexibility from earlier times and the hard serve with which she had won Wimbledon (2004), the US Open (2006) and the Australian Open (2008) was gone. And with it the ability to win many free points without too much effort, too much movement or special tactical skills.

Sharapova, the expert for quick rubbers and quick points, knew directly that there would only be one way to celebrate great success again: she would have to reinvent her tennis. At the age of only 21 - but an age when the playing style of a tennis professional is as good as set in stone.

The own game turned to 180

Maria Sharapova had learned her craft on the US hard courts of coaching legends Nick Bollettieri and Robert Lansdorp. In particular, Lansdorp's credo can be rewritten with: "Play flat, win high." The ex-coach from Austin Austin, Pete Sampras, Lindsay Davenport had little to do with clay court tennis, and as Sharapova the tennis world with their first grand slam -Victorious at Wimbledon, she owed this to her hard serve and the flat strokes she had perfected at Lansdorp in endless, deadly boring practice sessions.

“I have to be smarter and go more strategy. Be less dependent on my premium than on my return, ”Sharapova knew when she started rehab in late 2008. “In a way, I would be a better player. In a different way a worse one. But no matter how: I have to learn to win differently than before, ”she recalls in her autobiography“ Unstoppable ”.

Three wins at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix

Sharapova's ascent to the sand queen took a good three years - and really picked up speed in spring 2012: at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.

Sharapova beat Samantha Stosur (number 5 in the world), Petra Kvitova (number 3) and in the final Victoria Azarenka (number 1) and won her first Porsche - a 911 Carrera S Cabriolet. Afterwards she won in Rome and afterwards at the French Open, where she fixed her "career grand slam", integrated herself into a number of players like Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams - and by the way won back the top of the world rankings.

In Stuttgart she remained unbeaten: In 2013 she triumphed over Li Na in the final after beating Angelique Kerber in the semifinals and when asked if it would be tight in her garage: "There is always room for a Porsche." In short Porsche had previously announced that Sharapova would become the new brand ambassador.

And brand ambassador Sharapova continued to win: In 2014, she won in one of the highest-class matches of all time in the Porsche Arena with 7: 6 (5), 6: 7 (5), 7: 6 (2) against Lucie Safarova, who arched on the final Sunday she defeated Ana Ivanovic by one set in a win and for the first time since Martina Navratilova (1984, 1985, 1986) managed to win the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix three times in a row. Six weeks later, she triumphed again in Roland Garros and won her fifth and final Grand Slam title.

Maria Sharapova, who once declared after a sobering defeat in the Paris sandpit that she felt like "a cow on ice", had long since become one of the best clay court players of all time.

Sharapova on her "Magic Moments" in Stuttgart

Funniest moment: Your misfortune in winning the first Porsche 2012 on the center court

“I remember when I drove the Porsche together with Matthias Müller from the ramp to the arena after winning my first title in Stuttgart. The handbrake was still on. The car made a squeaking sound that I didn't know what it was. I already thought that the Porsche was broken. Mr. Müller was too polite to tell me that I had to release the handbrake. "

The most exciting moment: The drive in the Porsche 911 GT2 RS with Mark Webber 2018 on the development site

“It was an incredible experience. We had so much fun together. The speed on the track was scary. I don't remember how fast we drove. I screamed all the time and felt like I was putting my life in Mark's hands. I had to trust him a lot when we did these many rounds. Whenever I see the video of the trip, I get goose bumps. "

The most special moment: your 27th birthday in a dirndl on the Cannstatter Wasen

"I like my birthdays, some happened during the tournament. I was wearing a dirndl for the first time and felt very comfortable. You get a good feeling of what it's like to celebrate a long tradition. I really like to dress smartly and sometimes take on a different character. Seeing my long-time manager Max Eisenbud in leather pants was a big highlight for me. "

Most valuable moment: winning three winning vehicles

“All three Porsche are still in my possession. I share it with my family. They are still in good condition and are driving really well. I love sitting behind the wheel myself. It has something powerful. I love road trips and the freedom of driving. Whenever I'm at the wheel, some memories come back. I really want to travel the California coast in a Porsche. ”

The most emotional moment: your return to the 2017 tournament

“It was a great place for me to return on the tour, especially because of my great success in Stuttgart and because I had been part of the Porsche family for so long. Even if it was far from my home and family, it felt like home. ”

Most venerable moment: The 2015 show match with Andre Agassi in front of the Porsche Museum

“Andre Agassi has always been a special person for me. I always admired how he was on and off the court. Sharing the court with such a champion was a great moment for me. A tennis court was set up at the Porsche Museum for the match. It was spectacular. "

Sweetest moment: The launch of the "Speedy" by Sugarpova 2014

“For my Sugarpova brand, we created a special yogurt gum called 'Speedy' - a chewing candy in the shape of a 911. During my career, I really enjoyed starting Sugarpova and developing the brand with my team. After the end of my career, I now have more time for Sugarpova to continue growing. ”

The most instructive moment: playing on sand in the Porsche Arena

“I had to learn how to play on sand and how to move. The first years on the surface were very challenging for me. I accepted the challenge and worked a lot on my footwork and balance. I had to improve a lot of physical elements in my game to be successful on sand. The sand in Stuttgart plays faster than anywhere else. I think that the quality of an indoor clay court tournament is also better because there are no stressful factors such as wind or rain. Indoor tennis allows you to play your best tennis. ”