Wimbledon Betting / Ralph Ellis / 23 June 2010 /

Ralph Ellis takes a brief look at the career of 2004 Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova and wonders whether this is the tournament in which she tells women's tennis that she is truly back.

The conventional wisdom says that Maria Sharapova is more style than substance. Sensational good looks, an 80 million dollar contract from Nike to show off their clothes, and when Wimbledon comes round guaranteed to bring a few dozen extra photographers to courtside for some of those snaps that the red top papers love. As for the tennis? Well let's concentrate on the blonde hair and the long legs.

But something is changing this year. For a start did you see the outfit she wore in the French Open that looked like she'd got up late and put a black netball bib on top of her nightie? Not too much style there - and thank heavens for Wimbledon's all-white rule! And yesterday was the first hint that the 2004 Champion might be finding some substance again. as she lost only seven points on her serve in a cushy first round win.

This is the year of the comeback in women's tennis, and while Sharapova might never have actually quit the game like Justine Henin or Kim Clijsters, she has suffered the classic dip in form that follows the "too much, too young" syndrome. Wimbledon champion at 17, and number one in the world a year later, the edge came off her game as the modelling contracts took over. Suddenly the beach home in California was a more appealing place to be than a tennis court - and a shoulder injury that required major surgery looked to signal the final stage of a shooting star burning out.
Instead it seems time out has helped Sharapova to rediscover her love of the sport. Inspired by her boyfriend LA Lakers star Sasha Vujacic she's building up her fitness and strength, and most of all just the joy of playing. "The injury made me realise how blessed you are when you are actually on the court and able to hit a tennis ball," she gleefully told the media.

Sharapova is [13.5] to win Wimbledon and a second round tie with Romanian claycourt specialist Ioana Olaru should offer few problems - she's [1.04] to get through that one. The bigger question is then whether she's capable of repeating her 2004 triumph against Serena Williams as early as the fourth round. That may be too big an ask. But it doesn't mean Serena is guaranteed an easy path to the semi-finals.

The best value if you're looking for somebody to bring down the champion is Na Li (or is that Li Na? I'm never quite sure and there's about a 50-50 split in how papers and websites name the Chinese number one). She's a tempting [5.05] for the title after winning at Birmingham and returning to the top ten in the rankings at the same time.
And who did she beat in the final at Edgbaston? You've got it, one Maria Sharapova, smashing the Russian girl 6-1 in the second set.

Between the two of them it means Serena will have to retain her title the hard way, and while I wouldn't be tempted to oppose the [2.94] for the burly American to collect her fourth Wimbledon singles title, I do reckon there's value in laying her for the first quarter at [1.84].

Five things you might not know about Maria Sharapova
Born in April 1987 in the Siberian town of Nagan, her middle name is Yuryevna

When she was two her parents moved to Sochi where dad Yuri made friends with Aleksandr Kafelnikov. He gave Maria a tennis racquet for her fourth birthday and taught her to play. Recognise the name Kafelnikov? Aleksandr's son is former Australian and French Open winner Yevgeny

Martina Navratilova spotted her talent at a Moscow tennis clinic and recommended her to the Nick Bolletieri Academy in Florida

She loves reading - her favourites bizarrely being both Sherlock Holmes and children's character Pippi Longstocking

If you ever get the chance to buy her a drink, her favourite is virgin strawberry daiquiris! Yuk!!

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