2005 Pacific Life Open News
By Eleanor Preston  |  March 17, 2005

Maria Sharapova may not be No.1 in the world rankings – yet – but she and Roger Federer are unquestionably the most important players in tennis.

Both were in action in what turned out to be something of a blockbuster evening at the Pacific Life Open. Sharapova and Federer won in straight sets but they both still somehow managed to entertain and engage in a way that most players can only dream about.

Sharapova beat the resurgent Mary Pierce 6-4, 6-3 and having lost to Pierce at the same tournament a year ago, was understandably delighted both with her evening’s work and the progress she has made over the last twelve months.

“I think I was getting impatient in my last match with her,” she admitted. “I wasn't expecting her to hit so many winners, which is very stupid of me. You know, I didn't get frustrated today. I knew that the door would open somehow, somewhere, and I took my chances when I needed them.”

The same might be said of Sharapova’s attitude to the No.1 ranking, which she is edging closer to with every passing match. She will need to follow up whatever she achieves in Indian Wells with a good performance at next week’s Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami but there seems no doubt in Sharapova’s mind that she will get there in the end.

“It’s my future goal. But I'm not putting pressure on myself that it has to be in two weeks or three weeks or in the next six months,” she said. “Whenever it comes, it will come. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be.”

Whether, when Sharapova does eventually get the No.1 ranking, she will be able to hang onto it as long as Federer has remains to be seen. He is going about the defence of his Pacific Life Open title with his usual casual brilliance and though Nicolas Kiefer threatened, occasionally, to get in the way, the German was well beaten in their Pacific Life Open quarter-final, 6-4, 6-1.

“I am so far very good,” he said, without a trace of arrogance. “You know, I haven't lost a set. That is always something good. I saved energy. I've been really playing well. You know, sometimes you win matches and even if you're No. 1 in the world, you still don't feel very happy. But this week has been very good.”

Federer will have to maintain that standard in his semi-final against Guillermo Canas, who recorded his now customary victory over Tim Henman, whose number the Argentine seems to have - the 7-6, 7-5 win was Canas fifth in a row over the Briton.

Sharapova now plays Lindsay Davenport in the semis, who she has beaten in their last two meetings. Davenport will have the extra motivation of playing in what she regards as her home tournament but that may not be enough against the Russian.

Sharapova hinted that she might be looking to Federer for inspiration, speaking in glowing terms about her fellow Wimbledon champion.

“It's like he's Mr. Perfect and nothing's going wrong for him at this point. But, yeah, he's so talented. He just plays so loose. It seems like he's playing without any effort, you know, plays always by instinct, I feel. It's great to see such a champion on the court and off the court, as well. Of course you admire people like that.”

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