Jump to content

2006 Maria Sharapova tennis season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2006 Maria Sharapova tennis season
Maria Sharapova won her second Grand Slam title at the US Open.
Full nameMaria Sharapova
CountryRussia Russia
Singles
Calendar titles5
Year-end rankingNo. 2
Ranking change from previous yearIncrease2
Grand Slam & significant results
Australian OpenSF
French Open4R
WimbledonSF
US OpenW
Last updated on: 3 February 2013.

Results and statistics from Maria Sharapova's 2006 tennis season.

Yearly summary

[edit]

Australian Open series

[edit]

Maria Sharapova began her season at the Australian Open, as the fourth seed. After overcoming a tricky section which included Serena Williams and Daniela Hantuchová, she reached the semi-finals for the second (of four) consecutive year, where she fell in three sets to Justine Henin-Hardenne.[1]

Indian Wells & Miami

[edit]

Sharapova won her first title of the year at Indian Wells, by defeating compatriot Elena Dementieva in the final in straight sets; it was her first title since she won Birmingham in 2005, and it was the eleventh final out of the last thirteen contested in which she won.[2] Her good form continued into Miami, where she also reached the final for the second consecutive year. However, she was defeated in straight sets by Svetlana Kuznetsova; this marked only the fourth final in which she lost.[3] After the latter defeat, Sharapova took two months off the Tour to recover from a foot injury.

European clay court season

[edit]

Sharapova was seeded fourth at the French Open. In the first round, she overcame Mashona Washington, saving three match points in the process.[4] She then lost in the fourth round to Dinara Safina (after leading 5–1 in the final set), thus failing to make the quarter-finals of the French Open for the first time since 2003.[5]

Wimbledon

[edit]

Sharapova was again seeded fourth at Wimbledon, where she reached the semi-finals for the third consecutive year. After winning her first three matches in straight sets, she was more sternly tested by Flavia Pennetta in the fourth round, but still pulled through in three sets.

In the final eight, she faced first-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist Elena Dementieva and won through in straight sets after a streaker briefly interrupted the match in the second set.[6]

In the semi-finals, she lost to Amélie Mauresmo, who eventually captured the title.[7] This marked the fifth time since her Wimbledon victory in 2004 in which she lost to the eventual champion at a Major, and also the fifth time in which she was defeated in the semi-finals of a Major tournament.

US Open series

[edit]

In the lead-up to the US Open, Sharapova captured her second title of the season by defeating Kim Clijsters in the final of the Acura Classic in San Diego, and in doing so claimed her first victory over the Belgian in five attempts.[8]

Sharapova entered the US Open as the third seed. She defeated Michaëlla Krajicek, Émilie Loit, Elena Likhovtseva, Li Na and Tatiana Golovin all in straight sets, before being tested in three sets by World No. 1 Amélie Mauresmo, who had beaten her at Wimbledon earlier in the year. Sharapova would be too good for the Frenchwoman this time, winning in three sets, two of which were won without dropping a game.[9] In the final, she faced Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne, who had previously captured the title in 2003 (and would do so again in 2007), and recorded an impressive straight sets victory to claim her second Grand Slam title at just 19 years of age.[10]

Fall series

[edit]

After her success at the us open she won back to back titles at the tier 1 Zurich Open by defeating Shahar Pe'er, Timea Bacsinszky, Katarina Srebotnik, Daniela Hantuchova. She also won the tier 2 Linz Open by defeating Nadia Petrova in the final and thus taking her 5th title of the year.

WTA Tour Championships

[edit]

Sharapova qualified for the year-end WTA Tour Championships for the third consecutive year, having captured five titles during the regular season. As the second seed, she was drawn in the Red Group along with Kim Clijsters, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva. Sharapova went through the round robin stage undefeated, and thus qualified for the semi-finals after finishing first in the group.

The semi-final saw her up against Justine Henin-Hardenne for the fourth time in the year. Sharapova was defeated in straight sets, thus bringing an end to her otherwise impressive 2006 season.

All matches

[edit]

This table chronicles all the matches of Sharapova in 2006, including walkovers (W/O) which the WTA does not count as wins. They are marked ND for non-decision or no decision.

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# P# DNQ A Z# PO G S B NMS NTI P NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (P#) preliminary round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (Z#) Davis/Fed Cup Zonal Group (with number indication) or (PO) play-off; (G) gold, (S) silver or (B) bronze Olympic/Paralympic medal; (NMS) not a Masters tournament; (NTI) not a Tier I tournament; (P) postponed; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated at the conclusion of a tournament or when the player's participation has ended.

Singles matches

[edit]
Tournament # Round Opponent Result Score
Australian Open
Melbourne, Australia
Grand Slam
Hard, outdoor
16–29 January 2006
1
1R
Germany Sandra Klösel
Win
6–2, 6–1
2
2R
United States Ashley Harkleroad
Win
6–1, 7–5
3
3R
Croatia Jelena Kostanić
Win
6–0, 6–1
4
4R
Slovakia Daniela Hantuchová
Win
6–4, 6–4
5
QF
Russia Nadia Petrova
Win
7–6(8–6), 6–4
6
SF
Belgium Justine Henin-Hardenne
Loss
6–4, 1–6, 4–6
Pacific Life Open
Indian Wells, United States of America
Tier I
Hard, outdoor
6–19 March 2006
1R
Bye
2R
United States Jamea Jackson
Win
6–4, 6–3
3R
United States Lisa Raymond
Win
6–4, 6–0
4R
Israel Shahar Pe'er
Win
7–6(7–2), 6–1
QF
Germany Anna-Lena Grönefeld
Win
6–1, 6–3
SF
Switzerland Martina Hingis
Win
6–3, 6–3
W
Russia Elena Dementieva
Win (1)
6–1, 6–2
NASDAQ-100 Open
Miami, United States of America
Tier I
Hard, outdoor
20 March–2 April 2006
1R
Bye
2R
China Li Na
Win
6–2, 6–4
3R
Italy Maria Elena Camerin
Win
6–2, 7–6(7–2)
4R
Russia Maria Kirilenko
Win
3–6, 6–4, 6–1
QF
Russia Anastasia Myskina
Win
6–4, 6–4
SF
France Tatiana Golovin
Win
6–3, 6–7(5–7), 4–3, ret.
F
Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova
Loss (2)
4–6, 3–6
French Open
Paris, France
Grand Slam
Clay, outdoor
28 May–11 June 2006
1R
United States Mashona Washington
Win
6–2, 5–7, 7–5
2R
Czech Republic Iveta Benešová
Win
6–4, 6–1
3R
Australia Alicia Molik
Win
6–0, 7–5
4R
Russia Dinara Safina
Loss
5–7, 6–2, 5–7
Wimbledon
London, Great Britain
Grand Slam
Grass, outdoor
26 June–9 July 2006
1R
Israel Anna Smashnova
Win
6–2, 6–0
2R
United States Ashley Harkleroad
Win
6–2, 6–2
3R
United States Amy Frazier
Win
6–3, 6–2
4R
Italy Flavia Pennetta
Win
7–6(7–5), 3–6, 6–3
QF
Russia Elena Dementieva
Win
6–1, 6–4
SF
France Amélie Mauresmo
Loss
3–6, 6–3, 2–6
Acura Classic
San Diego, United States of America
Tier I
Hard, outdoor
29 July–6 August 2006
1R
Bye
2R
Russia Vasilisa Bardina
Win
6–4, 6–1
3R
Russia Vera Zvonareva
Win
6–4, 6–4
QF
France Mary Pierce
Win
6–2, 6–3
SF
Switzerland Patty Schnyder
Win
7–5, 6–4
W
Belgium Kim Clijsters
Win (2)
7–5, 7–5
US Open
New York City, United States of America
Grand Slam
Hard, outdoor
28 August–10 September 2006
1R
Netherlands Michaëlla Krajicek
Win
6–3, 6–0
2R
France Émilie Loit
Win
6–0, 6–1
3R
Russia Elena Likhovtseva
Win
6–3, 6–2
4R
China Li Na
Win
6–4, 6–2
QF
France Tatiana Golovin
Win
7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–0)
SF
France Amélie Mauresmo
Win
6–0, 4–6, 6–0
W
Belgium Justine Henin-Hardenne
Win (3)
6–4, 6–4
Zurich Open
Zurich, Switzerland
Tier I
Hard, indoor
16–22 October 2006
1R
Bye
2R
Israel Shahar Pe'er
Win
6–4, 7–6(7–4)
QF
Switzerland Timea Bacsinszky
Win
6–4, 6–3
SF
Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik
Win
7–6(7–3), 6–2
W
Slovakia Daniela Hantuchová
Win (4)
6–1, 4–6, 6–3
Generali Ladies Linz
Linz, Austria
Tier II
Hard, indoor
23–29 October 2006
1R
Bye
2R
Greece Eleni Daniilidou
Win
7–5, 6–1
QF
Serbia and Montenegro Ana Ivanovic
Win
7–6(7–3), 7–5
SF
Switzerland Patty Schnyder
Win
7–5, 7–5
W
Russia Nadia Petrova
Win (5)
7–5, 6–2
WTA Tour Championships
Madrid, Spain
WTA Tour Championships
Hard, indoor
7–12 November 2006
RR
Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova
Win
6–1, 6–4
RR
Belgium Kim Clijsters
Win
6–4, 6–4
RR
Russia Elena Dementieva
Win
6–1, 6–4
SF
Belgium Justine Henin-Hardenne
Loss
2–6, 6–7(5–7)

Tournament schedule

[edit]

Singles Schedule

[edit]
Date Championship Location Category Surface Prev. result New result Outcome
16 January 2006–
29 January 2006
Australian Open Melbourne (AUS) Grand Slam tournament Hard SF SF Lost in the semi-finals against Justine Henin-Hardenne
6 March 2006–
19 March 2006
Pacific Life Open Indian Wells (USA) Tier I Hard SF W Won in the final against Elena Dementieva
20 March 2006–
2 April 2006
NASDAQ-100 Open Miami (USA) Tier I Hard F F Lost in the final against Svetlana Kuznetsova
28 May 2006–
11 June 2006
French Open Paris (FRA) Grand Slam tournament Clay QF 4R Lost in the fourth round against Dinara Safina
26 June 2006–
9 July 2006
The Championships, Wimbledon London (GBR) Grand Slam tournament Grass SF SF Lost in the semi-finals against Amélie Mauresmo
29 July 2006–
6 August 2006
Acura Classic San Diego (USA) Tier I Hard DNP W Won in the final against Kim Clijsters
28 August 2006–
10 September 2006
US Open New York (USA) Grand Slam tournament Hard SF W Won in the final against Justine Henin-Hardenne
16 October 2006–
22 October 2006
Zurich Open Zurich (SUI) Tier I Hard (i) DNP W Won in the final against Daniela Hantuchová
23 October 2006–
29 October 2006
Generali Ladies Linz Linz (AUT) Tier II Hard (i) DNP W Won in the final against Nadia Petrova
7 November 2006–
12 November 2006
WTA Tour Championships Madrid (ESP) WTA Tour Championships Hard SF SF Lost in the semi-finals against Justine Henin-Hardenne

Yearly Records

[edit]

Head-to-head matchups

[edit]

Ordered by number of wins

Finals

[edit]

Singles: 7 (5–2)

[edit]
Category
Grand Slam (1–0)
WTA Tier I (3–1)
WTA Tier II (1–1)
Titles by surface
Hard (5–2)
Titles by conditions
Outdoors (3–2)
Indoors (2–0)
Outcome No. Date Championship Surface Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up 3. February 26, 2006 United Arab Emirates Dubai, United Arab Emirates Hard Belgium Justine Henin-Hardenne 5–7, 2–6
Winner 11. March 19, 2006 United States Indian Wells, USA (1) Hard Russia Elena Dementieva 6–1, 6–2
Runner-up 4. April 1, 2006 United States Miami, USA (2) Hard Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova 4–6, 3–6
Winner 12. August 6, 2006 United States San Diego, USA (1) Hard Belgium Kim Clijsters 7–5, 7–5
Winner 13. September 9, 2006 United States New York City, USA (1) Hard Belgium Justine Henin-Hardenne 4–6, 4–6
Winner 14. October 22, 2006 Switzerland Zurich, Switzerland Hard (i) Slovakia Daniela Hantuchová 6–1, 4–6, 6–3
Winner 15. October 29, 2006 Austria Linz, Austria Hard (i) Russia Nadia Petrova 7–5, 6–2

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]