MARIA SHARAPOVA

Fourth seeded Maria Sharapova went past fellow Russian, tenth seeded Anastasia Myskina 6-3, 6-3 in the quarter finals of NASDAQ 100 Open in Miami and set for semi final calsh with Tatiana Golovin.

This is going to be Maria Sharapova’s fifth semi final in as many events this year.

Maria Sharapova lost to Kim Clijsters in last year final of NASDAQ 100, is in a terrific form after the first title of the year Pacific Life Open, which she won this month.

Moscow born tennis player Golovin, who moved to France at the age of 8, earlier defeated China’s upcoming tennis star, unseeded Zheng Jie 3-6 6-3 6-2. Maria Sharapova has a career record of 2 - 0 against the 22nd seed Tatiana Golovin.

Maria Sharapova told, “I played a clean match.” and about her earlier matches she said “I made a lot of errors in my first two matches and knew I had to be patient since she gets a lot of balls back.

Maria Sharapova told about the semi final match with Golvin “I look forward to improving in the semis, and I will hope for the best.”

In the other semi final, World number 1 Amelie Mauresmo - the only player without any Russian connection will meet 12th seed Russian tennis star Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Maria Sharapova won the quarter-finals match 6-3, 6- against Anastasia Myskina, in the NASDAQ 100 Tennis Open, Miami, Florida. The manuscript of post-match interview with Maria Sharapova.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Maria, please.

# Can you talk about Golovin and your next round match, what kind of challenges she presents?

Maria Sharapova: Yeah, well, she’s had a really good week here. She’s beaten some good players. Just have to keep improving with every match. It’s going to get tougher and tougher as you go along in the tournament. I think I played a lot better than I did in my three previous matches, which is a really good sign, and hopefully I keep improving in my fifth.

# 26 winners tonight. Did you feel more consistency in going for your shots?

Maria Sharapova: Yeah, well, I knew I had to be consistent against her. That’s her biggest strength, being consistent. She’s not going to overpower me on the court. She’s just going to try to make me hit another ball. I thought I did that really well. I took my opportunities, took my chances, and that was important.

# What’s the difference between her now and French Open champion?

Maria Sharapova: I don’t know. It’s been a while. I really don’t know.

# Were you pretty pleased with the way you played?

Maria Sharapova: Am I, yeah. I’m very pleased. I definitely stepped it up in this match, and I knew I had to. You know, kind of had some letdowns in my first three matches, and I knew that wouldn’t be able to get away with it today.

So it was very important that I did step it up.

# How many challenges did you have today?

Maria Sharapova: I’m not sure. One, I think one.

# You haven’t gotten one right?

Maria Sharapova: No, it’s pretty sad. Some are pretty close, though. Actually, the one tonight was really close. I’ll keep trying.

# Are you of a mind when you only challenge when you really are sure that you saw it as being the other way, or would you take a chance when it is a close call?

Maria Sharapova: I think it depends on what point it is in the match and how many challenges you have left. If it’s later in the set and I feel like, you know, I’m not too sure, and I still have two challenges left, I’m definitely going to ask. You know, why not? It’s not going to hurt me.

# Have you changed your mind at all about the way the officiating — your preconceptions about officiating and whether officials are wrong a lot or right a lot because of this whole HawkEye system?

Maria Sharapova: I never really thought they were wrong all the time. It’s just that crucial, crucial situations in a match, it can be a little frustrating, especially, you know, when it can cost you the match.

So you can tell that the umpires are not making as many overrules as they, you know, were before. You know, they just let the calls kind of go into our own hands. They want us to challenge it if we feel like the call is wrong. You know, we have to challenge it.

# Do you like that?

Maria Sharapova: I mean, in a way, sometimes I feel like if they really saw it clearly, then I’d rather them overrule it than having me challenge it. Then the girl can challenge it if she feels that was the wrong overrule.

I mean, I don’t know.

Maria Sharapova won pre quarterfinal match against M. Kirilenko
3-6, 6-4, 6-1, in the NASDAQ 100 / Pacific Life Open 2006 in Miami, Florida.

Post Match interview with Russian Tennis Queen Maria Sharapova.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Maria, please.

Q. Obviously, very tough match. I know you know her, you guys go back

Maria Sharapova:Yeah.

Q. What changed it around? It seemed like you picked up your intensity in the second set.

Maria Sharapova:Yeah, I mean, I definitely did not play my best tennis in the first two sets, but I was playing a lot of defense out there, and she was stepping in the court. She was hitting very deep and hard, and especially against the wind, I was just pushing everything back.

In the second set I think it was just one or two balls that made the difference, and then in the third, you know, I stepped it up. I could see that she was physically getting a little bit tired, wasn’t getting to as many balls. I started to pick up my game.

Q. You were running her side to side. You feel that it eventually took its toll on her?

Maria Sharapova:Well, we’ve been playing three days in a row. Obviously, in the heat and everything, it’s very difficult for both of us.

These other kind of matches, we just have to grind it out.

Q. Why do you think you’ve been playing every day, have you complained at all? Some of the guys have only played one match…

Maria Sharapova:Yeah, no, I haven’t complained. But that’s the way it is. I think for some of the girls, they played a late — some played a late night match yesterday. To come out today and to play another one is obviously very difficult.

But, you know what, it’s part of the game. You know, it’s the challenges that we have to go through. You know, I mean, we might not like it, but we’ve got to do it.

Q. You respect her fighting spirit? You had trouble putting her away at the end.

Maria Sharapova:Yeah, she played some very good points and that put some pressure on my serve. I made a double-fault, couldn’t get my first serve in on the four matchpoints, first four or three that I had. And she took the advantage from the second set and put more pressure on me.

Q. Did you speak with her before the game, before the match?

Maria Sharapova:No, I saw her when we drove in together. She drove right behind me today (laughing).

Q. Talk about your relationship with her. How far does it go back?

Maria Sharapova:Well, I’ve known her — I mean, we’ve known each other since we were 12 or 13 playing the junior tournaments. We’ve always kind of stuck together. You know, she’s around my age and we just, you know, because we’ve known each other for so long and we kind of have similar lives and similar interests because of our age, it’s cool to have someone that’s very real and has a good heart out here.

Q. Is it tough to play a good friend?

Maria Sharapova:Definitely. You know, you don’t want to be playing a good friend in the fourth round, but, you know, you’re playing a tournament every single week so that’s going to happen.

Q. Do you blind it out?

Maria Sharapova:Yeah, well, I think when both of us, we’re on the court, we play like it’s any other match. You know, we don’t worry about it, just play as it is in the moment.

Q. So when you drove in together and got out together, near the valet, what did you talk about?

Maria Sharapova:We said, “Good morning, how are you?”

Q. Nothing about the match ahead?

Maria Sharapova:No. Well, we spoke the match before, I went on, she won her match to go in the fourth round. I was still waiting to go on. She’s like, “Come on,” you know, “We’re gonna play each other.” I’m like, “Okay, I have to win mine first.”

Q. Who got the best of who in Juniors?

Maria Sharapova:I don’t think we ever played against each other in Juniors, yeah. No, we didn’t.

Q. Next opponent.

Maria Sharapova:They’re still playing.

Q. A lot of Russian women.

Maria Sharapova:Yeah, I know.

Q. Proud of that? I mean, you’re 7 of 16.

Maria Sharapova:It’s amazing. I think the last few years, what our country has achieved is beyond anyone’s expectations. I think it’s amazing for the country.

Q. Young ones coming up.

Maria Sharapova:Yeah, definitely. I mean, I’m still one of the young ones. Don’t count me out (laughing).

Yeah, definitely a lot of young potential.

Q. How about your outfit, is that constricting you in any way?

Maria Sharapova:No, no. It actually makes me want to dance. It’s really cool.

I mean, growing up, I loved ballet. My mom used to do ballet when she was younger. I love art and I love dance. When they came out with this collection, I was in love with it. A lot of the pieces that I wear, you know, in the press conference and on the court are dance-inspired.

So I love them.

Q. Do you feel you’re playing better as the tournament is going on? You’ve had some second-set struggles that you pulled out.

Maria Sharapova:Yeah, no, I definitely don’t feel like I’m playing great tennis. But, you know, either — you know, might be the fact that it’s second tournament in a row, also three matches in a row, and also the conditions. I haven’t been able to adjust quickly to the conditions. You know, the wind has been a little bit of a struggle for me and my game.

But, you know, as long as I can tough it out, you know, I don’t know how long — I’m definitely going to need to step it up further because I’m going to be playing tougher and tougher opponents and I don’t think with just fighting I’m going to get away with it.

Q. Have you and Kirilenko gone out clubbing together?

Maria Sharapova:Clubbing, I don’t know about clubbing. We’ve gone out to dinner and stuff.

Q. But not this week, here?

Maria Sharapova:No, not here.