Sharapova needs to become her own woman on court

Henin-Hardenne had trouble with her own serve, which may have been caused by back problems. It doesn't matter, though. Back problems aren't part of the commercial script.

"I lost the last four times I played with Justine, so I figured I had to flip it 360, do just the opposite," Sharapova said. She is not a geometry major.

But since some of Sharapova's handlers seem more concerned with her image than with her tennis, there may yet be a problem. Sooner or later, Sharapova is going to have to reach for her own bananas, her own hydration mixtures, without the cues from her dad or her hitting partner, Michael Joyce.

She is going to have to assert her independence, make people believe she is more than the sum of her $19 million in endorsements.

Otherwise, there will be much sneering and sarcasm. On the in-house feed last night, one announcer said during a commercial, not for broadcast, "How dumb do you have to be if somebody has to tell you to eat a banana?"

Last night after her victory, Sharapova attacked her attackers, telling them to lay off the banana business.

She is not at all stupid. Sharapova is sharp and fluent in the interview process, and we are quite certain she eventually will show enough resolve and rebellion to become her own woman on the court. She already has the presence, the nerves.

At least we think she does. We don't think it was scripted last night, couldn't have been one big ad. The match took more than 30 seconds, and it had its own commercials. New York Daily News