Sharapova adds to clay-court schedule

Maria Sharapova decides to play three European red clay warm-up tournaments to Roland Garros, the first time she has done so in her 10-year career. The 25-year-old added this week’s tournament in Stuttgart to her clay-court schedule, which also includes events in Rome and Madrid. Sharapova won her first big red clay-court crown last year in Rome, and despite her tendency as a fast-court player, has reached the Roland Garros semis twice.

"I came here because as it is the first time that it fits into my schedule," Sharapova told reporters in Stuttgart. "Usually I do only Rome and Madrid before Paris, but this year I had an extra week so it worked out for me. It is such a short clay-court season, so I took this chance. My goal for this year’s clay-court season is to improve even more physically. I can withstand longer matches and I recover better, I'm still learning about the clay-court game which is a little bit like a 'cat and mouse' game, as the ball comes back more often and differently. You learn so much about the game and creating points."