I don't feel like I actually have to hold the trophy at the end of this, i feel like I'm already holding the trophy. And I've never felt this way.' I feel like just being here is a huge win, not only for me but for so many people. And it's a wonderful feeling.

Maria Sharapova

Categorized in : US News

I'm focused on going out every day and doing my best.

Maria Sharapova

tennis going-out focus

Whether you win a match or lose a match, in terms of your emotions, it's important to be pretty levelheaded.

Maria Sharapova

emotion important winning

When I'm down or maybe when it's close in the match, I feel like I'm still in it. I don't feel like I'm letting down. Mentally, I'm still really, really tough.

Maria Sharapova

tennis tough feels

A great tennis career is something that a 15-year-old normally doesn't have. I hope my example helps other teens believe they can accomplish things they never thought possible.

Maria Sharapova

helping-others believe years

I want my tennis to speak for everything.

Maria Sharapova

tennis speak want

I hit a ball for a living, but I have that passion to keep learning.

Maria Sharapova

keep-learning balls passion

The more matches I play, the more confident I get.

Maria Sharapova

tennis play

You control your own wins and losses.

Maria Sharapova

wins-and-losses winning loss

I'm never standing still and that makes my life pretty exciting.

Maria Sharapova

standing-still stills exciting

I love where I'm from. I don't live there because of the circumstances, but all my family is there. It's what's inside, it's not what's outside that determines the culture and the feeling.

Maria Sharapova

family feelings culture

I learned English in one month. I told myself I should listen. In the next month I could talk to everyone. I was so happy because I could do one thing...I could talk.

Maria Sharapova

next months should

I definitely feel Russian inside, even when I'm in America I feel Russian.

Maria Sharapova

feels america

There are so many roads you can take that will lead you the wrong way, that nobody will hear your name.

Maria Sharapova

wrong-way names way

If I loved a guy as much as I love my dog, the guy would be in serious trouble because I'm all over that dog, all of the time.

Maria Sharapova

guy would-be dog

People always ask about young people like me being forced into things. I play tennis because I love it. I think Russians might be tougher than other people. When I arrived in America I was young, but I already knew what I wanted. I think that when you start from nothing, when you come from nothing, it makes you hungry. I am proud of where I came from and I know what I want. I want to win.

Maria Sharapova

winning play thinking

I'm done growing. I only grow when I put my high heels on now.

Maria Sharapova

growing high-heels done

I'm always on the go. I love doing things until I hit rock bottom. Then I need my 12 hours of sleep, and I'm on the go again.

Maria Sharapova

always-on-the-go rocks sleep

I know many of you thought that I would be retiring today, but if I was ever going to announce my retirement it would not be in a downtown Los Angeles hotel with this fairly ugly carpet.

Maria Sharapova

downtown would-be retirement

My main goal is to stay healthy because when you're injured you realise how lucky you are to have your health.

Maria Sharapova

health lucky goal

I still love things that you don't even need to pay for. Going to the beach and being around five of your friends and having a good time means so much more than going out and spending hundreds of dollars.

Maria Sharapova

ocean beach mean