Maria Sharapova closing in on all-time greats

Maria Sharapova‘s emotional Australian Open final triumph has elevated the Russian stunner to within touching distance of a place in the pantheon of tennis’s all-time greatest players.

Still only 20, Sharapova is now just one successful French Open campaign away from joining an elite band of seven players in the 40-year professional era to have completed the coveted career grand slam.

Only tennis legends Margaret Court Smith, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Billie Jean King and Serena Williams have managed the rare feat.

Williams, who claimed her “Serena Slam” at the 2003 Australian Open, is the only woman in two decades to have won all four majors at least once, while Graf, with her “Golden Slam” in 1988 – which also included Olympic Games glory – and Australia’s own Margaret Court in 1970 are the only two to complete the set in a calendar year

Sharapova savours sweet success

Australian Open 2008 women’s singles champion Maria Sharapova says her victory is just reward for all the hard work she has put in over recent months.

Sharapova struggled with injury for much of 2007 but finally managed to shake off most of her ailments in the latter part of the year and returned to some of the tennis that she’s renowned for when she reached the final at the WTA Tour Championships.