What do you give a woman who is flying high on top of the world? If that woman is Maria Sharapova, it would be a French Open crown.

With Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles already tucked away in her locker, the Russian world number one is targeting victory in Paris this year following her return to the top of the rankings this week.

"Probably one of the biggest challenges is going to be the French for me," the 19-year-old told Reuters on Tuesday. "It's a challenge I'm really looking forward to."

"I had a terrible claycourt season last year because of injury. I shouldn't even have been at the French Open, but I tried.

"But I feel like I can do it this year. I'm definitely looking forward to it."

Sharapova, in Tokyo for this week's Pan Pacific Open tournament, lost in the fourth round at Roland Garros last year after two months out with a foot injury.

She finished 2006 by winning a first U.S. Open title and has just replaced Belgium's Justine Henin at the top of the WTA rankings despite her 6-1 6-2 thrashing by Serena Williams in the Australian Open final at the weekend.

"Second time around it's a little different," shrugged Sharapova, who first reached the summit of the women's game in August 2005.

"When you first become number one it's more of a thrill and you sort of think about it a little more. But it's not something I worry about too much."

"Obviously it's very important and it's a dream for every young girl and boy practising and growing up," she added.

"I think when you've already been there... all you try to do is win matches and the more you win, the better situation you're going to be in to stay number one."

BRUISING DEFEAT

Her bruising defeat to Williams in Melbourne may have taken some of the gloss off her return to the top of the rankings, but Sharapova dismissed it as a bad day at the office.

"There are going to be a lot of days in my career like that where it's going to be an off day for me and you're going to run into someone playing their best tennis," she said.

"That was just one of those days. Losing is never fun but it's part of what I do. I'm not always going to be winning."

Since destroying Williams to win the 2004 Wimbledon final as a 17-year-old, Sharapova has been the biggest draw in the women's game.

"On a daily basis I get random reminders of what I've achieved and you look back and think how quick everything has happened," she said in an interview arranged by WTA Tour sponsors Sony Ericsson.

"Last year I came to Tokyo and I remember people asking me if I was going to win another slam. It was kind of funny because I just came from losing to Justine in three (sets) in the semi-finals in Australia."

Sharapova added: "I said 'It's going to take time, it's going to take time'. Then I won the U.S. Open and I just got to the final of another one (grand slam). There's always going to be your moments to shine."

Hmmm - if I were Maria i'd focus on Wimbledon - her chances of winning RG remain very slim really. Especially when Henin is around.

She does seem to be taking it seriously though this year. She's down to play Charleston - presumably in addition to the big red clay tournaments and not instead of them.

Is she serious????I mean she and clay are like oil and water.Her movement is bitter on all other sufaces what is she smoking if she thinks that her movement on clay will elivate her to the title?

And the bit about a bad day at the office in Oz???Is this girl high?Serena OBLITERATED her end of story.She seems like she needs counselling.She should go and visit that doctor that helped out her compatriot Kuznetzsova!

This girl and her jokes!

Agreed.
Nothing in Maria's repertoire is going to take her places on clay.This slam belongs only to Henin.Serena is a close second.But Maria..NO WAY.Her movement on the court is just TERRIBLE.
And yeah..she seriously needs some counselling. roflmao roflmao

Maria loves to prove people wrong though...

Credit to her for not just moaning about how she struggles on clay, a few of the men could take a lesson from that :rolleyes:

I think she will be better sticking to this
http://www.tmz.com/2007/02/08/sharapova-b-...ookin/#comments

I don't see her as a title contender but you never know.... :shrug: ... I can name numerous other players better suited to clay but the French is so unpredictable and you have no idea at this stage who is going to be match fit so she could sneak through quite far this year given a cakewalk draw

Looks like a load of trolls commented on that roflmao

I don't see her ever winning the French, but then, as I said, she proves people wrong!

Maria is such a credit to the sport. How many of the top players would be so gracious in defeat, i can think back back to many 'my injury hindered me', 'the heat was against me', 'the whole world is against me' speeches, but Maria just acknowledges the fact that in ALL professions, people have days where it doesn't pan out, im sure ive had plenty. Dark, would you rather the top players just say they wont win an event so they wont bother turning up? Ambition is a great thing and i pity those that dont possess it.

I hope you DO win the FO Maria :bow:

Flaming heck Liam, you of all people. What the f@à# is going on here.

Let's face facts here, maria is sh*te on clay. Hitting the cover off the ball on every shot may work on hard courts and grass but clay exposes The Cheat as a one trick pony :rolleyes:

Maria will be praying not to get Camille Pin In the first round!

I say Camille could take her on clay!

roflmao roflmao

I think you are right! roflmao

Unless the climate in Paris suddenly had a freak change, I doubt it.

(Though I wouldn't be surprised to see Camille give her some trouble if that match materialised.)

YEAH!!! :yahoo:

COME

ON

MARIA! :yahoo:

roflmao

You've gotta love Camille

Actually she was very gracious in her narrow defeat... I bet Maria almost wishes Camille had finished her off so she didn't have to go on to be humiliated by Serena :P

In fairness though Maria has done a lot for raising the profile of the sport so we've got to give her her dues....though her clay court ability is not that praise worthy.

Well I dunno, Mashona Washington nearly beat her last year! roflmao

Maria :rolleyes:

well I just hope Maria doesn't choke this year :rolleyes:

If she plays well then good for her :D

My hope is that no matter how she does at the French Open, she doesn't cheat. I won't however be holding my breath! :rolleyes: roflmao

Maria never cheats. you should be called Yuri Cheatapov if anything :rolleyes: