After battling injury for nearly all of last season, Maria Sharapova is slowly making a comeback in women’s tennis. Today she reached the third round of the WTA’s Warsaw Open, beating her opponent 6-2, 6-0.

Rafael Nadal started out the clay court season with a win over world number 3 Novak Djokovic yesterday for the Rolex Masters title in Monte Carlo. He won in three sets.

The BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, CA is under way and so far Spain’s Feliciano Lopez, ranked 34, is out in a straight set loss to 90th ranked Michael Llodra. I’m not sure how a man with one singles title and one doubles title managed to land a Wilson racket commercial but I digress…well, probably because he looks like a model.

In case you haven’t heard, former world number 1 Maria Sharapova will be making her 2009 debut in Indian Wells for the BNP Paribas Open women’s doubles tournament. She has been sidelined since April of last year due to a torn rotator cuff.

(3) Anna Kournakova vs. Maria Sharapova (2)
Anna Kournikova
Anna’s lack of Grand Slam victories has not hurt her in the least when it comes to star power. She made quick work of her first round opponent, Maria Kirilenko, and has even come runner up to another competitor in our World’s Hottest Athlete coontest, Jennie Finch, when [...]

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#2. Maria Sharapova vs. #7. Elena Dementieva
#2. Maria Sharapova
This Russian stunner comes with American upbringing, so you get the best of both worlds: the girl next door with an international flair. No matter which accent you prefer, you can’t help but pay attention to the Siberian Siren when she’s exerting herself on the [...]