Soon To Be Top Ranked Maria Sharapova In Rome Quarterfinals

Soon To Be Top Ranked Sharapova In Rome Quarterfinals
By Ken Miller, Lawn Tennis Correspondent, Posted: Friday, May 16, 2008 1:39pm CST USA

Soon To Be Top Ranked Maria Sharapova In Rome Quarterfinals

Photo by Alessandra Tarantino/AP

ROME, Italy (lawntennismag.com)—World number two Maria Sharapova of Russia, who has raced to a WTA Tour best this year 24-2 record defeated Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-4, 7-6(7-3) at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia at Rome in the third round and today takes on 9th seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland in a quarterfinal night match.

The WTA Tour has also revealed that Sharapova will become the number one ranked tennis player in the world Monday.

"Whether I'm number one or five, my main goal is just to keep winning tennis matches and the ranking will take care of itself if I keep winning."

With world number one Justine Henin of Belgium surprise announcement Wednesday that she would retire effective immediately and her request to the WTA Tour that she be removed from the WTA Tour rankings, Sharapova will automatically move from her current ranking of two to one when the new rankings are released Monday.

"The ranking has never been a big deal for me," Sharapova said Wednesday. "Whether I'm number one or five, my main goal is just to keep winning tennis matches and the ranking will take care of itself if I keep winning."

Sharapova began the year in fine fashion, taking her third career grand slam title in January at the Australian Open.

Since then she has also won titles at Qatar and Amelia Island while also competing in Fed Cup for her native Russia in order to secure her place on this summer's Russian Olympic team.

Sharapova today at 1:45pm CST USA (8:45pm Rome time) in the quarterfinals of Rome meets Patty Schnyder in the last of four women's quarterfinals.