What is it like to play in gold‑trimmed tennis sneakers?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Uhm, I just need some wings and I feel like I can fly off (laughter). It feels good. They’re great shoes. I’ve been getting a lot of compliments. But everybody’s offering me a safe these days. Q. Did you check if any of the studs have fallen off? MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, no, they haven’t. They’re pretty secure. Q. The last time you were on that court was the end of the tournament, semi-finals and finals. It was a little different I would think from today. It was pretty chewed up, was it? MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, it’s greener, so it’s a little more slippery. Q. I mean, last year it was chewed up by the final. MARIA SHARAPOVA: Right. Oh, yeah, of course. Q. You could sense a great difference? MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, the first rounds of this tournament, it’s usually a bit different. The courts at Aorangi are, you know, different because everybody has been practising on them for a week already, so they’re very chewed up and the ball bounces faster and there are a lot more weird bou
