Maria makes comeback in Wimbledon seedings after injury sidelined the 2004 champion for 10 months
Maria makes comeback in Wimbledon seedings after injury sidelined the 2004 champion for 10 monthsMaria Sharapova has gatecrashed her way into the Wimbledon seedings after just a month back in tennis.
She was just 17 when she won this title in 2004, and has come down from 108th in the world to 59.
The Russian returned to the Tour in May following 10 months on the sidelines with a persistent shoulder injury but reached the semi-finals of the WTA grass-court event in Birmingham last week.
The injury has improved, and the 24th seed said, "So long as I am fit I believe I will always be in there with a fighting chance on grass."
"I've always been a fighter," she said. "If I was mentally weak I wouldn't be doing this. I'd be on some island with a nice cold pina colada. But there is no better feeling than waving to the crowd after you've won."
World No 1 Dinara Safina is the top seed in the women's singles ahead of second seeded Serena Williams, the reigning Australian Open champion. Sister Venus follows a close third.