Maria Sharapova returned to Birmingham with a spring in her step as she began her preparations for Wimbledon.
After achieving her best-ever result on her least favourite surface on the clay courts of Roland Garros, the 2004 Wimbledon champion was delighted to have her first practice on grass as she warmed up for the DFS Classic at the Edgbaston Priory Club.
"Birmingham brings back so many great memories," said Sharapova, who shot to prominence in Birmingham as a 16-year-old four years ago and won the title there in 2004 and 2005.
A run to the semi-final of the French Open helped erase memories of an injury-riddled start to the year and the Russian world number two was thrilled with the experience.
"It has been a very positive two weeks for me considering I was out for so long," she said. "It has been great preparation.
"I'm excited. My favourite time of year is coming up - the grass and the hardcourt season - so I'm looking forward to it."
Sharapova has a bye into the second round at Edgbaston, along with the other top seven seeds, and will play the winner of tomorrow's first-round tie between Varvara Lepchenko, of Uzbekistan, and American qualifier Lilia Osterlo.
Hoping to provide the third-round opposition for the 20-year-old from Siberia is British number one Anne Keothavong, who must first dispose of 16-year-old Tamira Paszek, the world number 72 from Austria, and Meilen Tu, the 13th seeded American.
Keothavong, the world number 173 who is one of three British wild cards in the DFS Classic, lost 6-4 6-0 in her only previous meeting with Sharapova in the second round of Wimbledon three years ago.
Go Go M. Sharapova. You will do great. Good luck. God will be with you all the way. ^^ 
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