A new beginning for Sharapova?

On the way up?



Monday night Maria Sharapova may have exercised some demons. Playing for the set and match against long time rival Nadia Petrova, Sharapova found herself down 40-love. In the past this is a situation Maria would not have found tenable. She has long been criticized for lacking a killer insticnt, or being able to put opponents away, but against Petrova she answered the bell. Battling back to gain the point, set and match Sharapova showed the kind of grit and determination her game has long been lacking. Curiously enough it was a match in which both players were described as having an off day. Playing sloppy tennis for most of the evening, both players were off of their game, but Sharapova just may have found a new level of play.