Will Maria Sharapova ever beat Serena Williams again?

[MichaelNadal]

It's almost been 10 years, literally. Most of these matches are just one sided beatdowns too. Maria can dominate many other opponents but she just cannot seem to crack Serena. What do you guys think and why is it that she hasn't gotten even 1 win since 2004?

2004
MIAMI
USA
R16 HARD
Serena Williams
6-4 6-3
2004
WIMBLEDON
WIMBLEDON, GREAT BRITAIN
F GRASS
Maria Sharapova
6-1 6-4
2004
TOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
LOS ANGELES, USA
F HARD
Maria Sharapova
4-6 6-2 6-4
2005
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
S HARD
Serena Williams
2-6 7-5 8-6
2007
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
F HARD
Serena Williams
6-1 6-2
2007
MIAMI
MIAMI, USA
R16 HARD
Serena Williams
6-1 6-1
2008
CHARLESTON
CHARLESTON, USA
Q CLAY
Serena Williams
7-5 4-6 6-1
2010
WIMBLEDON
WIMBLEDON, GREAT BRITAIN
R16 GRASS
Serena Williams
7-6 (9) 6-4
2011
STANFORD
STANFORD, USA
Q HARD
Serena Williams
6-1 6-3
Match Details 2012
MADRID
Madrid, SPAIN
Q CLAY
Serena Williams
6-1 6-3
Match Details 2012
OLYMPICS
LONDON, GREAT BRITAIN
F GRASS
Serena Williams
6-0 6-1
2012
WTA CHAMPIONSHIPS
ISTANBUL, TURKEY
F HARD
Serena Williams
6-4 6-3
2013
DOHA
Doha, QATAR
S HARD
Serena Williams
6-3 6-2
Match Details 2013
MIAMI
Miami, USA
F HARD
Serena Williams
4-6 6-3 6-0
Match Details 2013
MADRID
Madrid, SPAIN
F CLAY
Serena Williams
6-1 6-4
Match Details 2013
FRENCH OPEN
Paris, FRANCE
F CLAY
Serena Williams
6-4 6-4

 

[Wim]

Yes, she will.
She is younger.

 

[Lukhas]

I had thought they played each other more often.

Sharapova mentaly collapses against Serena. Whereas Serena gets even mentally tougher when she's against Sharapova. And this, regardless of how they're playing. Like at RG: she was down breaks in both sets IIRC, but if you watch the last games where she served incredibly huge, you would never guess. Same at Miami where she was playing like crap. 6-0? Okay. Down a break then scores 10 games in a row? That's more impressive. At that moment I felt Sharapova let pass her best chance to beat the American since she was playing well and that Serena was playing like crap.

Maybe the Russian can beat her kryptonite if she gets mentally tougher and serves better. And if Serena plays below par -don't count on her not willing to beat Sharapova, even if she has to play on one leg. Now, there isn't much you can do when Serena serves 110mph and up. :lol: Her best chance would be Serena decaying dramatically with age. But it's mainly a mental thing: I don't think Sharapova believes it nearly enough.

 

[dominikk1985]

I think serena is extra motivated against maria ever since she was humiliated in wimbledon by teenager sharapova. she has lost to a lot of players with much less talent than maria, but against her she is just super motivated.

 

[FreeBird]

At the next Federer's Gillette tour. You heard it here first. 8)

 

[Solo]

Don't you mean Maria Sugarpova?

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

Will Maria Sharapova ever beat Serena Williams again?

Anything is possible, but I believe such an event would require Serena being tired, injured, cheated (by officials) or brainfarting in order for Sharapova to eek out a win.

It's almost been 10 years, literally. Most of these matches are just one sided beatdowns too. Maria can dominate many other opponents but she just cannot seem to crack Serena. What do you guys think and why is it that she hasn't gotten even 1 win since 2004?

Sharapova was lucky in the early period, as she was more of an unknown factor, but it did not take long for the limitations of her mind and body to be studied/picked apart to end up with one of the most one-sided H2H among top players.

Again, anything is possible, but the circumstances will determine the outcome more than Sharapova as a player.

 

[Vcore89]

Say Maria retires in four years, during those four years she encounters Serena 10 times? Sure she can take a win or two away from Serena for sure, just one off-day and it is done.

 

[Chico]

If she is not pregnant and if her shoulder ever recovers, than yes.

 

[tennisaddict]

Why does this deserve a thread ? Sharapova is not really a competition to Serena considering their one sided H2H. It is a beatdown every time.

Is it because Sharapova earns 4 times what Serena earns inspite of being one fourth the player ?

 

[MachiA.]

Yes, Sugarpova will win, she is younger.
She would have a positive head to head when she would take the same stuff as Serena.
But then she would look same as Serena just taller and her income would be lower than now.


KR

 

[Vanhool]

I picked yes, but not with confidence. The odds are in her favor (just by sheer numbers, she has to catch a break eventually) and she is younger. Serena is at the age where her body may decide not to cooperate with her on a given day, plus she's somewhat injury prone. Still I could see her beating Maria on one leg and sheer will combined with Maria's mental block. Throw in a back spasm and it goes Maria's way.

Or if her new coach helps her sort out her head and her movement and teaches her some new strategies, maybe she could surprise Serena again and take a match or two until Serena figures her out. I hope it never happens but it's entirely possible.

At this point, if she beat Serena it would be more of a moral victory than a statement. So much prime vs prime ownage can't be erased by beating someone in the twilight of their career. I suspect if Maria beat Serena more than twice in a year, that would signal to Serena it was time to retire (once or twice would just fire her up, more than that would be too infuriating).

All that said, I'd say there's a 25% chance she never beats her again before Serena retires, and she may even retire before Serena because of her shoulder.

 

[Who Am I?]

Not unless she changes her game style against Serena.

 

[mmk]

I voted yes, but mostly due to age differences. It will depend on how long Serena keeps playing, and what body parts start to break down. Of course, Maria has had her share of physical problems as well.

 

[Morj]

Out of curiosity, how is it that Sharapova managed to beat Williams as a teenager?

 

[HRB]

Out of curiosity, how is it that Sharapova managed to beat Williams as a teenager?

Having nothing to lose, swinging for the hills and truly believing no one can beat her...that's what a 17 year old in the Wimbledon Finals can do!

Since then the beat downs have left doubt...Maria basically loses to both Serena, and her impatience forcing DF's and UE's...and when facing Serena both situations arise.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

Yes, Sugarpova will win, she is younger.

Then what stopped her in years when she was an assumed younger, fresh player? You cannot blame her shoulder, as that was not a factor over the course of their H2H.

Sharapova is a product of modern sports training, etc., so as an alleged world class, top player, she should have overcome the SW problem long ago...but did not.

 

[Goosehead]

Maria is really getting to know her inner 'Vitas Gerulitas' when playing Serena. :neutral:

 

[Midaso240]

Hard to say,it's not looking good atm. The match this year that made me think it's largely mental is the one in Doha/Dubai(can't remember which). Serena was in poor form the whole tournament due to sickness/injury and scraped by Kvitova in a tough 3 setter then preceded to demolish Maria 6-3,6-2 or something like that in the next match. Then lost to Azarenka in the final. I know Azarenka has a gamestyle that can give Serena more problems than Maria,but Kvitova? Why should she be a more difficult opponent than Maria the patchy player she's been post 2011?

 

[rockandroll]

I would say no.

I laugh at many of the people in this thread who keep saying oh she is younger, oh she is younger. Well that doesn't really matter when Serena is an anomaly who is still in her prime well into her 30s. Maria sure as heck wont even be a contender, let alone playing prime tennis in her 30s. So that already completely negates the age gap. In all likelihood Maria will be retired before Serena, and even more certainly will have won her last ever slam sooner than Serena (there is probably a 65% chance she already has won her last slam).

 

[rockandroll]

If she is not pregnant and if her shoulder ever recovers, than yes.

Maria's shoulder injury was in 2008 and she returned from it in 2009 and has played full time since. If she hasnt "recovered" yet she never will.

 

[rockandroll]

I am pretty stunned "yes" is winning this poll. I guess it is possible Maria gets a win over Serena somewhere (not in a slam) but it is far more unlikely than likely I think.

 

[Vanhool]

I am pretty stunned "yes" is winning this poll. I guess it is possible Maria gets a win over Serena somewhere (not in a slam) but it is far more unlikely than likely I think.

Chris Evert said when she was playing into her 30s, there were days she would get up and her body didn't want to cooperate. Serena looked pretty tired at YEC. She is human even though she seems larger than life. I only picked yes in this poll to mitigate my utter devastation should such a tragedy ever occur I said I thought she has a 75% chance...maybe really I think 50/50 or even less. And my fervent hope is never ever, even when they're playing legends and Maria is 64 and Serena is 70. But it's still reasonably possible, and I know I am biased so probably more possible than I think, so I picked yes.

 

[heftylefty]

Say Maria retires in four years, during those four years she encounters Serena 10 times? Sure she can take a win or two away from Serena for sure, just one off-day and it is done.

I'm in agreement with Vcore. Surga should be able to at least one more before she's done. But I doubt it would be in a Slam. Serena will never give her that chance.

 

[rockandroll]

Chris Evert said when she was playing into her 30s, there were days she would get up and her body didn't want to cooperate. Serena looked pretty tired at YEC. She is human even though she seems larger than life. I only picked yes in this poll to mitigate my utter devastation should such a tragedy ever occur I said I thought she has a 75% chance...maybe really I think 50/50 or even less. And my fervent hope is never ever, even when they're playing legends and Maria is 64 and Serena is 70. But it's still reasonably possible, and I know I am biased so probably more possible than I think, so I picked yes.

Chris Evert is not anywhere near the athlete Serena is so it makes sense she would feel that way in her 30s. Maria Sharapova whose gifts are excellent ball striking and a will to win, is even far less an athlete than Evert, so that probably applies to her at 27 and beyond.

By whichever time Serena really declines Maria will already have as well, if she hasnt already. So I really dont see that as relevant for this matchup.

 

[Vanhool]

Chris Evert is not anywhere near the athlete Serena is so it makes sense she would feel that way in her 30s. Maria Sharapova whose gifts are excellent ball striking and a will to win, is even far less an athlete than Evert, so that probably applies to her at 27 and beyond.

By whichever time Serena really declines Maria will already have as well, if she hasnt already. So I really dont see that as relevant for this matchup.

From your keyboard to God's monitor!

 

[Soianka]

It depends entirely on Serena's health and fitness.

I will make a bold prediction that Maria will retire next year if she does not beat Serena even once in 2014 and if she does not win a single grand slam.

I don't think Maria can take too much more humiliation from Serena and I think that is the reason (not a supposed injury) that Maria has been absent for the last part of the year and switched coaches twice in that time period.

 

[Midaso240]

It depends entirely on Serena's health and fitness.

I will make a bold prediction that Maria will retire next year if she does not beat Serena even once in 2014 and if she does not win a single grand slam.

I don't think Maria can take too much more humiliation from Serena and I think that is the reason (not a supposed injury) that Maria has been absent for the last part of the year and switched coaches twice in that time period.

That's ridiculous. I don't think she'll be thinking too much about either at the moment. She's been out for months and has to see if she can (still) beat the Ivanovics,Jankovics,Radwanskas of this world first before even thinking about those other challenges. No matter what happens,she won't be retiring next year...

 

[counterloop]

In a charity exhibition match one day? Maybe?

 

[Backspin1183]

Yes, but only when Serena has an off day. Will happen at least once in ten matches.

 

[rockandroll]

Yes, but only when Serena has an off day. Will happen at least once in ten matches.

The problem is Serena has had off days within her current 10 or so match win streak vs Sharapova. She still won them all, and rarely came close to losing. It is also very unlikely they will play 10 more times. They have played only about 10 matches in the last 9 years. So they arent going to suddenly play another 10 in only say 3 (good chance one or the other will retire after the 2016 Olympic season, more likely Maria IMO), especialy with Maria on her way down.

 

[counterloop]

2005 Australian Open semi finals, Maria had 4 match points against Serena and let the match slip away. I seriously believe Maria has never mentally recovered from that match. Add to the fact Serena is a better player now than she was in 2005, I think Maria goes into the match with little to zero belief she can win.

 

[Tahlya31]

Serena knows how to beat Maria, and Maria doesn't/won't change her game plan when she plays Serena.

 

[MichaelNadal]

This poll is tight as a tiger!

 

[Incognito]

Here's a message from GOATrena to sharapova:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_pBskiwocQ

 

[HRB]

Serena knows how to beat Maria, and Maria doesn't/won't change her game plan when she plays Serena.

DEAD ON...STUBBORN! She can't out power Serena, and she refuses to accept that and try something different.

 

[Midaso240]

DEAD ON...STUBBORN! She can't out power Serena, and she refuses to accept that and try something different.

What else can she do though,that's her game. She overpowers and overwhelms her opponents but what happens when she comes across someone with more power? She has a better serve and a booming return so with Maria often struggling on serve particularly against her,how is she supposed to be the aggressor as she usually is? How can you dictate play if you're often on the backfoot on both serve and return? It's a flattering H2H though,I mean of course Serena is the better player but it makes Maria look worse than she is. I don't believe there's another female player in tennis history who could win so many matches in a row against Maria.