Sharapova lets Tennis do the talking

The decibels diminished but Maria Sharapova underlined her status as the women’s game’s latest big noise by roaring into the third round at Wimbledon today.

The 16-year-old Russian beat her 21st seeded compatriot Elena Bovina and saved her loudest exclamation for the yelp of joy at the end of her accomplished 6-3 6-1 victory.

The gruntometers were rendered unemployed as Sharapova preferred to let her tennis do the talking and instead it was her opponent whose moans of anguish echoed around Court 18.

Sharapova had arrived at Wimbledon having been warned at the DFS Classic in Birmingham for the volume of her outbursts.

But after following up her annihilation of fellow prospect Ashley Harkleroad in the first round with this excellent display, Sharapova is beginning to let her tennis do the talking.

She insists she is revelling in the limelight which will grow stronger when she squares up to her next opponent Jelena Dokic in the next round.

But she admitted the attention took some getting used to following her high-profile appearance in Birmingham.

She said: “I came out of a cafe in Wimbledon village and three tabloid photographers were in my face and I was laughing so hard because I didn’t think it was going to happen.

“Once in a while it’s better if you are wearing sunglasses or a hat.”

And Sharapova, who played Wimbledon as a junior, said she was already growing to love the traditions of a tournament of which one day she hopes to be crowned champion.

“When I step on court I think this is Wimbledon, this is a dream that little kids have so I’m just going to do my best.

“But it doesn’t put any pressure on me because it’s Wimbledon.”