Serena, Sharapova and the surprising shine of respect

A hundred extra sit-ups. Inspirational mantras chanted. No Sundays off for a year. Athletes are constantly in desperate pursuit of a mysterious thing.

- Rohit Brijnath

They call it "the edge", or anything which offers them a competitive advantage.

The edge can be physical but also psychological. It can be found in unbending body language and a mask of unblinking toughness. To be nice is to soften that edge. Better to send an icy look across the net.

Or, in Maria Sharapova's case, a fist pump.

Beauty brought her attention, but the beast in her won her titles. At her International Tennis Hall of Fame induction on Aug 23, Sharapova admitted she was never the fastest or the strongest but compensated. "If you fine-tune your mental fortitude you can transcend the limits of your body every single time."

So she scrapped, and grunted like a labourer on a loading dock, and sometimes wondered as she fist pumped: "Is she looking now?"

"She" as in Serena Williams. Williams, whom she played 22 times, whom she beat in the 2004 Wimbledon final but only once again in the next 15 years, whom she referred to frequently in her book, whom she never seemed to care for and vice-versa.

And yet here was Williams, at Sharapova's ceremony, introducing her, praising her, celebrating her for 13 straight minutes.

"I know," Williams began, "I'm probably the last person you would be expecting."