Sharapova sensational

NEWPORT BEACH — The grunts grew louder Wednesday night. The fans in Newport Beach loved the sounds made by Maria Sharapova.

No one told the three-time Grand Slams singles champion to shut up.

No one is going to ban grunting at Breakers Stadium any time soon.

The Newport Beach Breakers play in a parking lot, so any sound is acceptable. Honking cars. Clapping hands. Screeching tires. Add a grunting 6-foot-2 beauty.

Newport Beach closed out the regular season at home with its marquee player in Sharapova making the loudest noise. Sharapova played three sets, all winners, as the Breakers beat the Kansas City Explorers, 24-15, in front of a sold-out crowd of 2,000.

Sharapova lost to an unknown in the second round at Wimbledon last month. She ran into another relatively unknown Wednesday in women’s singles.

Trouble ensued before Sharapova gave the Breakers momentum heading into their first World Team Tennis playoff match since 2006. Newport Beach (9-5) travels to Missouri to face the Western Conference champion Springfield Lasers (12-2).

Before the Breakers left town to face a team it has failed to beat this year, Meghann Shaughnessy challenged Sharapova. Remember, she’s the niece of a sports columnist, Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe.

Opponents ranked outside the top 10 have given Sharapova problems. Each has knocked Sharapova out of the four tournaments she’s competed in since returning from right rotator cuff surgery in October.

During her peak in singles play, Shaughnessy reached No. 11 eight years ago. Sharapova was 14 years old back then.

Sharapova said before the match against Kansas City (6-8) she felt 100 percent.

At times against Shaughnessy, she looked strong and sometimes not so much.

The world’s former No. 1 player almost dropped her final set of the night to Shaughnessy before winning 5-4 (5-1 tiebreaker).

“This is exactly what I needed after training for a few weeks,” said Sharapova, who won in women’s doubles with Julie Ditty and mixed doubles with Kaes Van’t Hof. “Just to get out here in front of a good crowd that I’m very familiar with and play some doubles, play some singles.

“It was also great to play against Meghann, who’s also coming back from knee surgery. We’ve been actually been doing physical therapy at the same office in Phoenix.”

Ramon Delgado might want to visit the office soon. The reigning WTT Male MVP has played a lot.

The Breakers tend to rely on Delgado to close out each home match. The final one at home saw Delgado start the match.

Things began in Delgado’s favor in men’s singles. He took a 4-1 lead, seeing Mike Russell grow frustrated. During the fifth game, Delgado dropped one in and Russell tried to get to it, only to skid toward the net.

The ball wound up on East Coast Highway after Russell smacked it out of the stadium. The crowd got a kick out of it. Russell was warned.

It was Delgado who received a rude awakening.

Russell stormed back, claiming the next three games to force a nine-point tiebreaker. Delgado stood on his heels, hitting everything long and he lost, 5-4 (5-0 tiebreaker).

For only the first time this season, Delgado dropped back-to-back singles sets. Sunday’s match against the Sacramento Capitals appears to have taken a lot out of Delgado.

Delgado clinched the Breakers’ postseason berth, rallying the team in the last set against Sacramento. After forcing overtime, it went into a super tiebreaker and Delgado prevailed and Newport Beach won, 21-20.

Delgado, who has a four-month daughter and wife in Paraguay, hinted this might be his final season with the Breakers. Going out with a WTT championship is the goal.

In his first year in 2004, Delgado helped the Breakers win the title.

“I might not play anymore on the tour, so it’s going to be difficult to come back next year,” said Delgado, who partnered with Van’t Hof for a 5-2 men’s doubles victory. “My priority now is to spend some time with my family [in Paraguay].

“It would be nice for me to go back with a championship.”