Wimbledon: Shortly after Maria Sharapova’s semi-final victory on Friday at Wimbledon, her father, Yuri Sharapov, found himself in the clutches of a Wimbledon security guard.
Exiting centre court, Sharapov tried to use a VIP walkway but was stopped because he didn’t show a credential. After a brief, terse exchange with the guard, Sharapov reversed direction and found another route.
Sharapov, who came with his daughter from Russia to Florida when she was six, had little to say about the biggest victory of her career.
“I’m proud of my daughter,” he said. “Why do you think? Because she played better tennis than anybody else, or because she’s my daughter? It’s because she’s my daughter. It doesn’t matter how she plays tennis.”
Last stop at All England
Lindsay Davenport brought her mother to Wimbledon this year, figuring it would be her last trip to the tournament.
Davenport lost in the semi-finals to No. 13 Maria Sharapova of Russia on Friday, then pretty much bid farewell to playing singles at the All England Club.
“I’d be surprised if I was back,” the 1999 Wimbledon champion said.
“It was a tough loss out there, but I lost to someone who rose to the challenge,” Davenport said. “I don’t feel like I gave the match away at all.”
Davenport plans to play in the US Open, then walk away from tennis after the season-ending WTA Tour championships at Los Angeles in November.
Crowd support
Serena Williams figures Maria Sharapova will get more support from the fans in Saturday’s Wimbledon final. “Hey, the crowd always roots for the underdog, at least when I’m playing. I’m always not the underdog,” Williams said, after beating Amelie Mauresmo in three sets in the semi-finals on Friday. “I’m kind of used to it by now. I actually kind of feel weird when people root for me too much.”
She’s also used to playing older sister Venus in major finals. “It’s going to be different,” Serena said, referring to facing Maria Sharapova. “I love to see Venus get to the final or myself get to the final. I always want to see the best of her and she always wants to see the best for me — I’m never going to part with that, it doesn’t matter.”
