“That’s the way it goes,’’ Sharapova said yesterday. “You obviously hope that you can be in the final stages every single year, but I guess it’s just not meant to happen. This is the year I’m supposed to be back in the final. I don’t know why. I’m not going to question it.’’
Since 2004, Sharapova has added the 2006 US Open and the 2008 Australian Open titles. But shoulder surgery in October 2008 took her off the singles court for nearly 10 months and required a change in her service motion.
Today’s match against Kvitova will be her first Grand Slam final since 2008. It is these moments that Sharapova visualized while nursing her shoulder back to health.
“I had time to reflect on my career and things that I’ve achieved,’’ Sharapova said. “But I think I was always looking towards the future more than anything in the past, because that’s where I was trying to envision myself at some point to be getting back out there.’’
Looking back to the 2004 final, Sharapova said she spent the day trying to recover from illness. As she looked ahead to the biggest match of her career, Kvitova dismissed talk of nerves.
“No, I’m not nervous,’’ she said. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow, for sure. I slept well. It’s OK.’’
If Kvitova can hold her nerve, the final could come down to the serve. The lefthanded Kvitova has hit 35 aces in her six matches so far and it was her serve that was a determining factor in her semifinal win over fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka.
Sharapova managed to beat Sabine Lisicki despite 13 double-faults and a first-serve percentage of 48.
Martina Navratilova, the last lefthanded women’s champion at Wimbledon in 1998, said Kvitova “matches up well’’ against Sharapova.
“It’s such a tossup. It basically comes down to who serves better,’’ Navratilova said. “Once the ball is in play, Sharapova has an edge with Petra. I think Petra will return better [than Lisicki did] and it will be easier for her to hold serve.’’
Kvitova has described nine-time Wimbledon winner Navratilova as her idol.
