Intro:

Top women's players spoke Saturday (23 August) ahead of the 2014 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York. The tournament gets under way Monday, 25 August.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English) Maria Sharapova:

"I think if there is a time to bring the game that I want to, it's definitely now (smiling) for the next few weeks. I wasn't happy with the way I started the hard court season. As the weeks progress, I'm certainly feeling better. It was great to have this week of practice here. You know, the courts are a little bit faster again, so it was good to come here a little bit early and to get that time on the courts. But overall, yeah, I think little by little things will shape into place."