Maria Sharapova Unveils Cole Haan Collection

With the US Open just days away Maria took some time out from practicing to unveil her new line of shoes and bags for Cole Haan at the Rockerfeller Centre in New York. Maria came up with all the designs herself when she was out of the game recovering from shoulder surgery. The designs are all very chic and fashionable but at attainable prices, so everyone can get that bit of fashion luxury.

Also at the event were young tennis fans from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centers Junior development program, who got to meet Maria.

Maria also talked of her love of the game and how she enjoys playing in-front of the New York crowd as the "crowd really energizes you and brings out your best level".

Maria's US Open Draw

The draw for the US Open  has been released today and there are some interesting matches to be played out over the 2 weeks at Flushing Meadows.

Hopefully Maria will go far within the tournament but there are some tough matches ahead if she plans to do so. In the first round Maria will face Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) who Maria has played once before in Istanbul, 2007. Maria won this match in straight sets and should be able to repeat the performance at US Open.

Maria then goes on to face either Christina McHale (USA) or Polona Hercog (SLO) which should prove relatively easy for Maria as neither player is seeded at the USOpen and McHale recieved a wildcard into the tournament.

Maria's 3rd round opponent is a re-match of the 2009 Toronto Final where Maria came up against fellow Russian Dementieva in a match which proved closer than eventual scoreline  of 6-4 6-3 to Elena showed. This match should be the first real test for Maria in the tournament.  Out of the previous 11 meetings with Dementieva, Sharapova has won 8 of them. If Maria can produce her A-game on the day, Dementieva will prove a tough test but Sharapova should come through. However anything less than her best and it could swing the way of Elena.

If however Maria does make it through she could face Nadia Petrova (RUS) in the fourth round, who maria has defeated 3 times already in her comeback, including a three set thriller at the French Open. However there is a real chance for Jie Zheng (CHN) to get to the 4th round with Petrova's form being questionable of late.

Following this Maria, if the seeding holds true, could face Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) in the quarter- finals. The head-to-head between the two currently stands at 4-4. The last time Maria won was at the Sony Ericsson Championships 2007, and she won comfortably after dropping the first set taking the next two 6-2 6-2. However their last meeting was in Indian Wells in 2008 where Svetlana took the win 6-2 in the 3rd set and ending Maria's perfect record for the start of 2008. So if it gets this far this could be a tough match for Maria and she would need to show some good form to win, although since winning the French Open this year Kuznetsova has not been playing her best tennis, so anything is possible.

The top players seeded to meet Maria in the semi's if she goes that far are Jelena Jankovic (SRB) and Dinara Safina (RUS). Maria stands a good chance with a 4-1 head-to-head against Jankovic, last beating her in straight sets in Australia 2008. Jelena's only win has been a walk-over in Rome in 2008 when Maria withdrew with a leg strain. Against Safina, Maria also has a good chance, although they are tied 3-3 in the head-to-head. When Masha has won it has been in straight sets winning 6-2 6-3. However when Dinara has taken the match it has proved more difficult with the matches going 3 sets all times. With the nervy play Dinara has been showing recently on the big occasions Maria would stand a good chance in a match against Safina.

There are many contenders for the final, if Maria can somehow get this far, that could make it through their side of the draw. Not least Serena and Venus Williams (USA) and Kim Klijsters (BEL).  However Maria is going to have to be stringing together consistent play, scorching groundstrokes and steady serving to stand a chance of going deep in New York. Arthur Ashe Stadium has witnessed many amazing matches over the years and under the lights at Flushing Meadows anything can, and probably will happen.

Maria in Toronto

Maria Sharapova records her best result since returning to the tour in Warsaw in may this year, reaching her first WTA tour final since Amelia Island in 2008.

In the early rounds Maria dispatched her opponents with relative ease and by the quarters had started to exhibit some outstanding form and shot-making, however Maria's real test was to be the Final.

Maria faced Elena Dementieva also of Russia ( the 6th all Russian WTA final this year) in what proved to be a nervy match in tricky conditions, with both players struggling to hold serve in the opening set. It was Dementieva though that steeled herself to take the first set 6-4. Maria fought hard in the second and showed flashes of greatness but it wasn't to be. A somewhat fatigued and lackluster Maria (by her own standards) eventually folded 6-3, giving Elena her 3rd WTA title this year.

Maria's performance over all was encouraging and stands her on good grounds for the USOpen which starts on the 31st of August. Maria will be seeded as her world ranking jumps to #30 as of Monday 24th August. Maria is also placed #19 on the race to the Sony Ericsson Championships and finished a respectable #4 in the USOpen series after reaching the quarter's and semi's of Stanford and LA respectively before her Final appearance in Toronto.

Whether or not Maria can pose a real threat at this year's USOpen remains a question only she can answer, but if she can produce some of the stunning shot-making and serving she showed this week, there is every chance she will go far.