And the impression I came away with on each occasion was that Sharapova's game was definitely on the ascent. Not necessarily by quantum leaps but rather by steady, incremental steps. A gradual progression was clearly taking place.

The long-legged blond who's already a marketing superstar seems on the verge of possible domination on the WTA tour. If she continues to hone her skills and shores up a few liabilities, here heretofore solid career could turn into something majestic.

But continued improvement is the key to Sharapova's hopes of becoming a player for the ages. She can't afford to level off at this stage because she's not quite there as an all-around talent. There are areas that still require refinement and a upgrade.

The question Sharapova must ask herself is what kind of legacy does she wish to leave? To date, she's had her share of stellar moments, winning 16 singles titles including Wimbledon and U.S. Open crowns. Given that notable record, no one could possibly claim that she's just another pretty face. She's proven there's substance to go with the good looks and the glitzy image.

Yet, there's a sense among many in the tennis community that she could have done even more up to this point. That perhaps she's underachieved a bit. Whether that perception is fair or not is not easily answered.

But when Sharapova took London by storm and won at Wimbledon as a precocious 17-year-old, expectations went sky high. At an early age, Maria had set the bar exceedingly high and trying to measure up to that standard hasn't been easy. She's endured some growing pains and bouts of inconsistency but through it all, she's worked hard and shown a toughness most experts didn't think she possessed.

So now, at the still tender age of 20 but with a mountain of experience behind her, Sharapova seems poised to begin that quest towards greatness. But given the stiff level of competition that confronts her, the road she faces will be fraught will extreme tests and challenges.

But the signs are there for a Sharapova breakout. She seems on the cusp of a lengthy and memorable run. Her recent performance at the Acura Classic in San Diego, a Tier 1 event, gave evidence that Sharapova's game is really coming together.

In '06, Sharapova prevailed at the Acura and used that splendid effort as a springboard to an impressive U.S. Open that had all of New York a twitter. It will be interesting to see if a similar result in '07, where Sharapova successfully defended her Acura title, will portend another conquest in the Big Apple City and beyond.

Sharapova's semi-final victory in the Acura over Anna Chakvetadze was particularly instructive as to why the 6-2 transplanted Russian might be ready to win with increased regularity and add to her Slam total.

Chakvetadze came into the tournament as the hottest thing in tennis, having won the WTA's previous two events. Having dispatched Venus Williams the night before, Chakvetadze was on an undeniable roll. Momentum was in her hip pocket.

But after a somewhat sluggish start, Sharapova began ripping winners and soon cut Chakvetadze down to size. Her 6-3, 6-2 triumph was even more telling than the score indicated.

What really caught your eye was that Sharapova excelled in areas not considered to be her strengths. When she came to the net, she demonstrated a comfort level and a feel that was noteworthy. A couple of exquisite touch volleys drew loud and boisterous ovations from the crowd.

Sharapova, not known as a particularly nimble sort, also showed nice lateral movement and got to balls that initially looked like surefire winners. Sharapova's ability to play defense and keep rallies alive has improved to the point where it can be no longer considered a weakness. Sharapova is rapidly learning to use her lengthy body and dig for shots that she rarely reached before.

Her newfound competence at the net and her upgraded defense aside, what crushed Chakvetadze the most were Sharapova's bullet forehands. They were laser-like in their precision and demoralizing in their effect. With the way she was painting the lines, both sideline and back, it was as if Maria was turning the court into a personal canvas of sorts.

Even Sharapova's serve, which of late has been rather spotty, was brutally efficient. Maria was blasting away at up to 116 mph and when she truly needed an ace, she got it.

It was as well rounded a performance as Sharapova has given in some time. And as you were watching her obliterate Chakvetadze, you sensed that Sharapova may have been on to something. That similar tour-de-force efforts could be in the offing.

If that's the case, Sharapova will surely fulfill the promise that her Wimbledon victory suggested. And a most magic career could be in the works.

So the rest of the WTA tour had best beware. If motivation remains no problem and if she can keep nagging injuries at bay, Maria will become even more foreboding than her current No. 2 ranking would suggest.