Just finished watching Maria Sharapova shriek and blast her way to a three-set win over the Italian veteran Sylvia Farina Elia. Pretty mediocre stuff, I thought, and more proof that the tall blonde from Siberia is in an interesting footrace with her own hype. Of course, it’s not Sharapova’s fault that legions are swooning over her, or that so many commentators keep describing her as the hottest thing in tennis since Rebound Ace on an Australian summer day. It all puzzles me somewhat.
Start with the game. She hits a clean, heavy ball and has a terrific serve. Those virtues, while substantial, don’t lift you above the pack these days. In fact, what most stands out to me about Sharapova is the one-dimensional nature of her game. She’s a ball-banger, playing the same one-size-fits-all game as dozens of other ball-bangers—only she plays it that much better.
You could say Monica Seles was a banger too, but the harrowing efficiency of Seles’ game was unusual, and inimitable. You’d never mistake Seles' game for anyone else's. Sharapova, by contrast, has yet to create a distinct playing identity—even that toe-raise as she prepares to serve is unnervingly evocative of Pete Sampras. There is no personal stamp on Sharapova's game, stylistically or strategically. That, actually, may be the most unusual thing about her.
Then there’s the "It" girl thing. Sure, Sharapova has been lucky to come along on the heels of the Williams sisters, when the game has not only been lacking an understated, poised, essentially conservative blonde (think Chris Evert, or Steffi Graf), but when the type itself had been discredited by the provocative Anna Kournikova.
But I’m not getting much of a read on Sharapova’s personality, despite her intriguing personal story and obviously strong sense of self. What I am getting is the feeling that she’s a control freak, with a tight grip on how she’s packaged and marketed. Sure, all big celebrities do that. But most of them know you have to bring a little something else to the table, and I’m not talking about squared shoulders and pert ponytails. Sharapova is anodyne. The case is best made in her press conferences, where she is expertly unforthcoming and never, ever in danger of saying anything original, no less provocative. Here’s a good example, from when she was asked in Melbourne about her recent experiences touring and playing in Asia.
Of course, it’s easy to forget that she’s just a 17-year-old kid. But it’s going to be interesting to see how she develops.