Maria Sharapova believes she can reclaim the Wimbledon title by rediscovering the fearless approach that brought her the title as a 17-year-old. Sharapova stunned the tennis world when she beat Serena Williams in straight sets in the 2004 final but she has yet to fulfil the potential suggested by that unlikely triumph.
Injuries have been partly to blame but Sharapova herself believes she is simply paying the price for having realised her dream far earlier than she would ever have imagined.
"When I think back, I do wonder why I won Wimbledon at 17 years old?" she said.
"It wasn't because my game was so good that I was dominating everyone. I was just really fearless out there.
"I didn't care who was on the other side of the net. I didn't care what people thought. "I didn't care about expectations. I blocked that out of my mind in every single match that I played.
"When I look back and think about it I know I've got to keep doing that. Looking at me two years ago, you wouldn't say I was the strongest player, that I did everything right. I just found a way to win and I did. I took my chances and I won."
Sharapova admitted she is still some way short of being a complete player and added: "I knew it was going to be tougher and tougher to win my second one. I've said before that I'm not at the peak of my career and it is going to take time for me to be at the top of my game."
Sharapova, seeded fourth this year, nevertheless believes she is in sufficiently good form to win again, despite a shock defeat by world number 81 Jamea Jackson in a warm-up tournament at Birmingham last week.
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