Sharapova seeks return to grass confidence

LONDON, June 20 (Reuters) Maria Sharapova's confidence may have taken a knock in the run-up to her favourite grand slam.

The 19-year-old Russian suffered a shock semi-final defeat by Jamea Jackson, ranked 81st at the time, at the Wimbledon warm-up event at Edgbaston last week where she had been overwhelming favourite to complete a hat-trick of victories.

At the French Open earlier in the month she had been cruising to victory against compatriot Dinara Safina in the fourth round but slumped out after surrendering 5-1 third-set lead.

It all started with an ankle injury in April that kept her out of tennis for several weeks, wrecking her claycourt preparation and leaving her short of match practice heading into Wimbledon, where she won her only grand slam to date in 2004.

Grass suits the 1.88-metre Sharapova who relishes speed and power.

She has lost only four of 37 matches on the surface and statistics, admittedly early in her career, showed before the Edgbaston defeat that she was ahead of Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf in terms of grasscourt winning percentages.

Her semi-final defeat at Wimbledon last year by eventual champion Venus Williams was one of the most entertaining matches of recent years, the tall and elegant pair trading shots with fire, determination and breathtaking skill.

The talent, grit and drive that enabled Sharapova to become the first Russian woman to reach the number one spot last year, was identified early and nurtured by her father Yuri who is still her coach.

He took the nine-year-old to Nick Bollettieri's academy in Florida where she fulfilled her early promise. She did not see her mother for two years.

After winning Wimbledon in 2004, Sharapova's fame exploded.

Her good looks ensured she became a sought-after subject for magazine covers and promotions and she was listed in Forbes magazine as the richest sportswoman in the world.

Fame does not appear to have blunted her enthusiasm for tennis.

She reached the semi-finals of the 2005 U S Open and this season's Australian and was in fine form early in the year, winning at Indian Wells and reaching the Miami final.

The injury took the wind out of her sails, however. After losing at Roland Garros she said she had lost her concentration.

''It's in your hands and you've got to finish it off... all of a sudden you start thinking...'' she said.

At Edgbaston, she said the injury was not completely healed but felt better on the soft grass and she talked up her chances.

''I have had more days to practise compared to last year.

Hopefully that will help me.'' Wimbledon's box office will be hoping so too.

REUTERS PDS BST0721