Maria Sharapova headed into the season finale feeling fit and capable of defending the title she won here last year, a hope that evaporated as the chest muscle injury began to hinder her serve and forehand as she fell 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 to Amelie Mauresmo in the semi-finals.
“I think without the injury I was playing great tennis,” Sharapova said. “And I felt like I was in control, so that still gives me a lot of confidence for next year.”
And Sharapova said she still had plenty of good things to take from 2005, notably becoming the first Russian woman to claim the world number one ranking, which she held for one week before the US Open and again from September 12-October 24.
“I am still working on a lot of things to become a complete player,” she said. “But I think I have learned a lot.
“Looking back, I think to become number one for as many weeks as I was was an amazing achievement.”
