Former World No 1 Maria Sharapova is delighted to see teenagers take huge strides in the tennis world
Former World No 1 Maria Sharapova is delighted to see teenagers take huge strides in the tennis worldAt just 23 years old, Maria Sharapova considers herself still to be in the bloom of youth, but things are moving fast.
Her third-round match at the US Open on Saturday will see her take on 18-year-old American wildcard Beatrice Capra, who idolised the Russian glamour girl as she was growing up.
It all comes as a bit of a shock to Sharapova, who won Wimbledon in 2004 as a precocious 17-year-old and who was ranked number one in the world a year later.
"It's pretty crazy because I still somewhat consider myself pretty young, as well. I'd like to think so, at least," she said.
"You know, to see someone coming up that's 18, that's a lot younger than I am, in the third round of the Open is great.
"I think it shows a lot about the younger generation that's coming up. To see someone especially that's an American and doing well at the Open is really great."
Sharapova, who is bidding to win her second US Open crown, four years after winning her first when she was barely older than Capra is now, does have words of warning, however, for wide-eyed rivals like Capra.
"It's really strange because I've always had a difficult time accepting when little kids, whether I'm doing a clinic, talking to them, when they tell me they want to be just like me," she said.
"Not only it is a bit overwhelming and a bit of a shock, it's kind of strange.
"I mean, I'm certainly far from perfect. I have many things I'm not good at. I always say to them, 'You should want to be better than me or anyone else."
