Betfair Official Blog

Sharapova will fight on

Maria Sharapova insisted she would carry on braving the elements and her shoulder injury for a repeat of her 2004 Wimbledon glory.

The 20-year-old Russian, available to back at 7.8 on Betfair to claim glory at the All England Club, was held up for almost two hours on another rain-interrupted day before leaving Centre Court with seconds to spare an hour and a quarter later with a routine third round 6-3 6-3 win over Ai Sugiyama.

Sugiyama had complained to the umpire that the match should have been postponed because of the slippery conditions but her protests fell on deaf ears.

And world number two Sharapova held her nerve to complete the victory and set up a fourth-round showdown with either three-time Wimbledon winner, Venus Williams, or another Japanese opponent, Akiko Morigami.

"I didn't really feel that it was too slippery," said Sharapova, who was relieved to get the match over with.

"I heard the weather was not supposed to be good for the rest of the day so it was really good to finish it.
"It worked out well in the end."

Florida-based Sharapova revealed she was continuing to have treatment on the shoulder problem that has plagued her for much of 2007.
"I have ice, massage, needlework, you name it, I do it," she said. "A couple of hours a day."