Maria Sharapova, who withdrew from the U.S. Open with a leg injury, says she was astounded that some of the players in the draw said that they would like to see No. 1 Serena Williams win the title. Williams eventually wound up losing in the semifinals against Roberta Vinci, which prevented her from winning all four Grand Slam titles this year.
“I was very surprised that a lot of players said, 'I do hope she achieves it,” Sharapova told the *Strait Times*.
“(It) was surprising because I knew these players were going to be in the draw, so it was as if, I felt like, why are they even playing. Maybe that's just the competitor in me.”
The 28-year-old Sharapova has been frequently injured this year. Her three-set win over Agnieszka Radwanska at the WTA Finals was her first completed match since Wimbledon, where she lost to Williams in the semifinals.
"I have a very good collection of MRIs," she said. “I am proud of the way I have been able to find a way. Sometimes people forget that just because you're injured it doesn't mean you're on holiday and sitting back with a margarita. You're spending actually more hours keeping yourself in shape because you lose a lot of muscle tone. When you're out for more than a week you lose hand-eye coordination. Mentally... it is tiring because you're forcing yourself to stay positive.”