The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Melbourne

Maria Sharapova got high marks for the eloquence of her victory speech after winning the Australian Open on Saturday. Ditto on the preparation that got her there. While she spoke, at times almost tearfully, of an inspirational text message from Billie Jean King, of winning the Australian Open title for her coach's mother who had died of cancer, and of sending bunches of roses to her own Mom on her birthday, it was a polished speech so good that it sounded almost as if it had been rehearsed.

Embarrassed by her straight-sets loss to Serena Williams in last year's final here, she appears to have treated her preparation for her 7-5, 6-3 win Saturday over Ana Ivanovic the same way. When Daniela Hantuchova complained after her semifinal loss to Ivanovic that the Serbian player's squeaking shoes during Hantuchova's service motion had bothered her, Sharapova went on the offensive.

She had one of her hitting partners put on the squeakiest shoes he could find, then squeaked away when Sharapova was in her service motion.

And, on several occasions in Saturday's match, she simply delayed serving if Ivanovic was moving around much. "Sometimes when you're putting the work in it just seems so, so hard, and you never know when that work's going to pay off," she said. "When you're going through tough moments, you never know when you're going to have good moments."

There were a lot of good ones for her in the past two weeks in Melbourne en route to the third Grand Slam singles victory. She didn't lose a set in seven matches. She beat three of the top four women in the world - Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic and Ivanovic. She talked - time and time again - about concentrating only on "taking care of her side of the net." And that she did. Hard work at practice, blocking out all the other questions about her father, Yuri's, antics in the players' box during matches.

Trying to set aside any thoughts of the shoulder problems that plagued her last year. And all the personal questions about her relationship with her mother, which she answered freely and honestly.

"When I walk through that gate to the court, that's my escape," Sharapova told The Associated Press. "I block out everything, good and bad."

Some of the bad last year was tough to take. In her trophy acceptance speech, Sharapova spoke in heartfelt terms about the death of her coach's mother, Jane Joyce, last year after a lengthy battle with cancer.

"It completely changed my perspective on life," Sharapova said. "I think the reason for that is because it's one of the closest people in my team, in my family, that passed away. I'm lucky to have my grandparents and family and friends very healthy, knock on wood."

She also talked about losing the final last year on her mother's birthday, and how she'd use some of her million-dollar winnings to send her a bunch of roses this year under much happier circumstances.

And of waking up Saturday morning to a text message from King, winner of 12 Grand Slam singles titles and who has had an interest in her career since Sharapova was as junior. Part of it read:

"Champions take chances, and pressure is a privilege." When she was finished her speech in front of a full house of 15,000 at Rod Laver Arena, she was surprised by the reaction. "About five people just told me that I said some great things," Sharapova said. "I was like: 'I did?' Sometimes I don't know what I say, especially today."

With last year's injuries and personal difficulties behind her, the sincerity of her comments could not be questioned. "I was so overwhelmed," she said. "Last year my thought process was just so different t I had many negative thoughts. "If I would have thought then that I'd be standing on that stage (today), with that winning trophy, I don't think I would have believed it."

Sharapova is undoubtedly mature beyond her years, thanks in big part to her winning her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon when she was just 17.

Asked if she might be still playing 10 years from now, she bristles at the thought.

"No, no, please record this," Sharapova says, smiling. "I think by that time, I hope that I will have a nice husband and a few kids."