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I was a spectator on Centre Court that warm afternoon in July 2004 when Maria Sharapova, who faces suspension from tennis after testing positive for a banned substance, won Wimbledon for the first time. She was 17 years old and had been expected to lose her first Grand Slam final to the defending champion, Serena Williams. In the event, the tall, blonde Russian, who in her early teens had moved to live and train at the celebrated Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida, thrashed Williams 6-1, 6-4.
The match lasted only 73 minutes and Sharapova played with exuberance and steely control throughout. The power and accuracy of her shot-making were remarkable. She was at the forefront of a new generation of power-baseliners in the women’s game and yet, in spite of her height (6ft 2in), she moved with fluidity and grace. Williams, the ultimate power-hitter, had seemingly met her match: she was not so much defeated as bludgeoned off the court. (Interestingly, Williams has won 17 of her 19 matches against Sharapova.)