29 сентября 2015, 04:44 4 мин.

Sharapova ready for Fed Cup Final challenge

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While Russia has won the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas title on four occasions, the nation’s most prominent player, Maria Sharapova, has never set so much as a finger on it. And she’s ready to change that.

Currently in Wuhan, China, where the five-time Grand Slam champion makes her return to competition for the first time since Wimbledon after struggling with a leg injury, Sharapova said time away from the game has made her even more motivated to play for Russia in Prague on 14-15 November against reigning champion Czech Republic.

"As I was going through the injury, knowing that I was going to miss a big chunk of time in the summer, I spoke to my team a lot," said Sharapova. "Then we spoke to Anastasia Myskina and we felt it’d be a good time for me [to play] because, if technically I didn’t take that time off, I still didn’t play a lot of matches.

"It gave me a chance to think that playing two weeks after the WTA finals was an okay decision."

Any plans for a vacation after the WTA Finals are now on hold, with Sharapova looking to play her part in adding to Russia’s 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008 Fed Cup crowns.

“I was planning a trip for the week after the [WTA Finals] and now my friends are like "we’ll have to wait an extra two weeks".

“I'm sorry - it's Fed Cup.! But no, I’m really happy to be a part of it. One of the most important things for me is always to be ready and motivated wherever I am, whether I am playing a big tournament or a small tournament, or Fed Cup. I want to feel the challenge within myself.

"When you play a full season, knowing that I have to wait two weeks to play an additional two matches, I think for anyone it’s extremely difficult," Sharapova continued. "But since I did miss those tournaments, I just believed that it was the right move."

It was also the right move to forget about playing the US Open. In a season where injuries or illness took a toll on her body, Sharapova decided that patience would be the best option.

"I tried to go to the tournaments but ultimately my body wasn’t there, was not ready and it obviously took longer than I thought originally when I got the injury," she said.

"The last time I missed the US Open was a bit tougher, I don’t know if it’s just the experience… But I certainly had my fair share of tough moments through the summer so getting through that at the end it wasn’t such a big deal because I knew that once I’ll get healthy it’d be good."

Impatient to compete again, this week and beyond, Sharapova is ready to end her season on a succession of high notes.

And she won’t let the forearm issue that pushed her to retire during her first match in Wuhan, against the Czech Barbora Strycova, get into her way.

"Look, I've had my fair share of serious injuries, and I know that this is far from it. Obviously Singapore and Fed Cup are a big priority for myself. I'll do everything in order to be healthy for that."

Be warned Czech Republic, Maria is coming to town.

http://www.fedcup.com/en/news/215210.aspx