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- 'When the matches are on TV I do enjoy watching who is playing, no matter if I'm playing against them or not. It's part of the spirit, the tournament.'
Maria Sharapova is used to having to rebuild from scratch after suffering a string of debilitating injuries throughout her career, but the Russian is still surprised at how well she is playing in her latest comeback at the WTA Finals.
Sharapova arrived in Southeast Asia having failed to complete a match since July because of leg and arm injuries, but the five-time major winner has looked in ominous form since setting foot on the Singapore Indoor Stadium court on Sunday.
Round-robin wins over Agnieszka Radwanska and Simona Halep were followed by a classy 7-5, 6-1 victory over US Open champion Flavia Pennetta on Thursday as the 28-year-old advanced to the semi-finals, top of the Red Group with a perfect record.
The Russian could afford to lose that final rubber, having already qualified for the semis, but she told reporters: "Every match for me just counts at this point in the season in the last tournament.
"I wanted to try to play a high-quality three matches and I didn't know the results would have gone the way that I have expected," the world number four added.
"I'm actually also a little bit surprised that I've been able to win three matches, as physical as some of those matches were.
"Knowing that I qualified allowed me to be a little bit more aggressive today. I played quite aggressively in the second set and had a good ratio of winners and unforced errors (and) was quite solid."
Sharapova's career has been punctuated by three major shoulder operations since her breakthrough triumph as a 17-year-old at Wimbledon in 2004, and the latest injury break has provided her with the opportunity to compete in the Fed Cup final next month for the first time since turning professional 14 years ago.
"The layoff gave me a chance to look through my schedule and understand that I had an opportunity to be part of an event that I've never played before, such as the Fed Cup final," she said of Russia's showdown against the Czech Republic in Prague on November 14-15.
"So that changed a little bit, because I think if I (had) had a full season I would really have to reconsider playing."
Sharapova also admitted being a bit of a tennis television junkie and may tune in on Friday to watch the conclusion of the White Group and her possible semi-final opponent.
"I know I always say that's the last thing I want to be doing but when I'm at a tournament I do enjoy watching," she laughed.
"When the matches are on TV I do enjoy watching who is playing, no matter if I'm playing against them or not. It's part of the spirit, the tournament.
"You start your day with tennis. Everything is surrounded by tennis. I don't shy away from watching my opponents. So, yeah, I might tune in."
Simona Halep's roller-coaster season came to a welcome halt on Thursday when a crushing first set tie-breaker against Agnieszka Radwanska at the WTA Finals left the Romanian with nothing left to give.
Halep had led the Pole 5-1 in the tiebreaker of their final round robin clash only to lose the next six points and the set, with the 24-year-old Romanian collapsing in the second and only able to muster a single game.
"I was done. No energy anymore. I was tired," Halep told reporters. "I felt that I lost the chance to win the first set and probably I lost the chance to win the match in that moment."
Halep could have advanced to the semi-finals even in defeat on Thursday if she had won a set after the Romanian split her opening two matches - a 6-0, 6-3 win over U.S. Open champion Flavia Pennetta and 6-4, 6-4 loss to Maria Sharapova.
Working out the permutations seemed beyond a clearly exhausted Halep, who was looking forward to enjoying some time away from the court after the straight sets loss ensured there would be no repeat of her run to the final here last year.
"I had the chance in the first set in the tiebreak. That's why I'm a little bit disappointed that I lost this match, because I couldn't finish the first set," she said.
"Then she was dominating. She started to play her best. It was a good match. I was tired. I go home. I just want to take the holiday now. I don't want to think about tennis anymore," she said with a smile.
It marked a premature end to a year of mixed fortunes for the world number two, who was top seed at the elite eight woman event in Singapore after the withdrawal of defending champion Serena Williams due to fatigue.
While Halep won the biggest title of her career at Indian Wells in May and also lifted trophies in Dubai and Shenzhen, she suffered a first-round defeat at Wimbledon and was knocked out at the opening stages of the premier mandatories in Madrid and Beijing.
That followed a second-round loss at the French Open, which the Romanian said was the biggest disappointment of her year.
But she picked up with a strong showing on the American hardcourts and reached the semi-finals of the U.S. Open.
"Yeah, actually, I think I had a good year this year. Ups and downs, but it was okay," she said.
"I will finish number two or three in the world so it's pretty good for me. It's second year in a row.
"I want to get better for the next year. I have many things to improve. I have to run a little bit more because I need. Today I couldn't breathe anymore in the second set."
