After winning the Australian Open, Maria Sharapova has set her sights on securing Olympic gold.
Russia's golden girl targets Beijing glory
After winning the Australian Open, Maria Sharapova has set her sights on securing Olympic gold.
Sharapova claimed her third Grand Slam title in Melbourne with a straight sets win over Ana Ivanovic but is eager to add further success by winning for her country in Beijing.
Although she has lived in the United States since the age of nine, the 20-year-old says winning the gold medal while representing Russia would mean more to her than a second Wimbledon crown.
"I think because I already have a Wimbledon title, I'd take the Olympic gold medal," Sharapova said. "But if it was any other tournament, I would say Wimbledon.
"I moved to the United States because of my career but if I didn't have this career I'd probably be back home in Russia in college right now, as is one of my friends that I grew up with back there.
Opportunities
"But those are some of the things you have to sacrifice in your life, in your career. I got the opportunity to move to a new place that taught me, that made me more mature and basically has given me so many opportunities in my life."
But the chance to represent Russia at the Olympics is a dream come true for Sharapova and something she has coveted for a long time.
"I think for tennis players it's just incredible to be a part of it (the Olympics)," Sharapova said.
"I'm very much looking forward to the opening ceremony and that's one of the things I was always watching on TV (as a child) because my parents used to allow me to stay up late to watch the opening ceremonies.
"I'd wait until Russia would come out but they would always be near last because of the alphabetical order and that would kill me because it would be about 1am in the morning.
"But then I'd put my white hat on because that is what they were wearing and walk around the house, so that (participating in the opening ceremony) is something that I'm very much looking forward to."
