Newport to meet girl named Maria

Rick Devereux

The Palisades Tennis Club is prepared for the arrival of Wimbledon

women’s singles champion Maria Sharapova as the Newport Beach

Breakers face the Sacramento Capitals tonight at 7 p.m.

Sharapova, at 17 years and 2 months, became the second youngest

All England ladies singles champion in the open era and third

youngest of all time. Martina Hingis defeated Jana Novotna at the age

of 16 years, 9 months in 1997 and the 15-year, 9-month old Lottie Dod

bested Blanche Bingley in 1887.

The No. 13 seed Sharapova beat No. 1 seed Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4

in about an hour and 10 minutes and vaulted herself from No. 32 in

the world in January to the current No. 8.

The Breakers protected the rights to the 6-foot blond from Siberia

in the World Team Tennis April draft, making Sharapova the lone

returner from last year’s squad. She was scheduled to play two home

matches for Newport Beach this year, today and Saturday, but her

Wimbledon win and the subsequent attention and responsibilities

forced her to cancel playing the Saturday match against the Kansas

City Explorers as well the J.P. Morgan Chase Open at the Home Depot

Center in Carson, which starts Monday.

“When I originally planned my ambitious summer schedule, I dreamed

about -- but didn’t count on -- winning Wimbledon,” Sharapova said in

a statement Sunday. “I want to make sure I stay strong and play my

highest level for the rest of the season and beyond.”

Palisades Tennis Club officials are looking on the positive aspect

of having the Wimbledon champion for one night.

“Most people thought that once she won Wimbledon she wouldn’t have

the time to play much tennis in the first month,” said Ken Stuart,

club owner and general manager. “Just the prospect of Maria playing

in our town for one night has been stunning.”

The Breakers are also looking at the bright side of the

cancellation.

“I think there is more excitement because it’s one match,”

Breakers’ General Manager Jim Haley said. “I think the fans are more

appreciative that she is here for one night than upset that she won’t

be here for two.”

That has also made her one appearance twice as hard to attend.

Haley said the tennis club has added about 20 extra seats to the

1,800 capacity stands to try to accommodate demand.

Haley said that people with tickets for Saturday’s match can come

to the Palisades Tennis Club between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. today to

exchange them for tonight’s match. He added that it is first come,

first serve and the ticket holder must show up in person. After 2

p.m., any remaining tickets will go on sale, but Haley said he wasn’t

sure if there would be any tickets remaining or how much they would

cost.

He said fans with tickets to Saturday’s match who were unable to

exchange tickets for tonight will be able to attend the last home

match of the season on July 20 that will feature the U.S. Olympic and

U.S. Davis Cup doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan.

The WTT, which owns the Breakers, has replaced Sharapova with

fellow Russian Nadia Petrova for Saturday’s match.

“[The Breakers] are happy the WTT was able to arrange a top

world-class player like Petrova,” Haley said. “She is No. 12 in

singles, which is only four off from Maria.”

Petrova is currently No. 8 in doubles and has been ranked as high

as No. 6 this year in singles.

The Breakers will have a special presentation before the match

tonight to honor Sharapova’s Wimbledon win, and she will stay after

the match to sign autographs.

“It’s easy to make something out of her missing a match,” Stuart

said. “But [Sharapova playing at Palisades Tennis Club] is the

biggest thing to happen to Orange County this year. She’s a world

champion.”