Can Maria Sharapova upset Serena Williams at the French Open?

Poor Maria Sharapova.

For all her titles, endorsements, and success, she can’t beat Serena Williams.

It’s been nearly 10 years since a 17-year-old Maria Sharapova shocked Williams and the world, winning her first Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon in straight sets against the two-time defending champion. In the years since, Williams has sought unrelenting revenge over the deceptively waify blonde who so coolly stole the spotlight, handing the Russian 15 straight losses - 12 in straight sets - in a never-ending IOU.

Sadly for Sharapova, an upset at the 2014 French Open would be equally as shocking as the first.

In a cruel twist of almost-hilarious fate, 32-year-old Williams, the world No. 1, and 27-year-old Sharapova, seeded seventh, have drawn the same quarter at Roland Garros. So the French Open final many had been hoping for could come a lot sooner, in the form of a quarterfinal face-off. If it happens, the tension will be equally as high, but it’s kind of amazing that even if Sharapova did pull off the upset of her career, she’ll be robbed of the bragging rights that would come along with taking down the champ in a Grand Slam final.

Not that the odds would favor her anyway.

Despite the Russian’s impressive development on clay, starting with her French Open win in 2012, two titles this season, and a 45-4 record on the surface since 2012, three of those four losses have been to Williams. During Sharapova’s title run in Paris in 2012, she didn’t have to worry about facing the American, who was upset in the first round.

Although it helps Sharapova whenever Williams is knocked out by someone unexpected, it must sort of kill her, too. Similar to the way Rafael Nadal seems to have decided he will not lose to Roger Federer under any circumstances, Williams looks especially locked in whenever she faces Sharapova, albeit with an ease that only amplifies the embarrassment for the Russian.

When the two met at the Sony Open in Miami earlier this year, Sharapova held a 4-1 lead in the first set and a 2-0 lead in the second set, before dropping the match 6-4, 6-3.

“I was in it and then I was not,” said Sharapova. “That’s why she’s No. 1 in the world … she's the player that is most capable of coming back from that or regaining focus and regaining that concentration as someone that's ultimately going to do better.”

Whether it was that first Wimbledon title, or the (well documented and overplayed) off-court drama, there’s something fueling their feud that won’t let the other back down. Both are constantly trying to prove themselves to the other – Sharapova that she won’t be intimidated by the failure, and Williams that she won’t give an inch, no matter how one-sided the trophy count.

“I always said, anyone that I play, you have to be ready to play,” Williams said in Miami after beating Sharapova for the 15th straight time. “You have to show up, and if you don't show up, then your biggest threat will be yourself.”

It’s one of the many lessons Sharapova can take from Williams.

“Despite my results against her, I still look forward to playing against her because you learn so much from that type of level,” said Sharapova. “You finish the match, and you know where you need to improve and the things that you need to work on.”

To Sharapova’s credit, that she’s been in so many situations where she plays mouse to Williams’ cat is because her ability to raise her game and zero in with an almost rage-like focus has been superior. But she has to reach a lot higher if she plans on hanging with Serena, in Paris, or anywhere.

“Well, I think Maria and I both play well,” Williams said. “We have a lot of similar things. We give 100 percent ... doesn’t matter who we play, we’re both really intense on court.”

Like most great nemeses, they share more similarities than differences. It’s too bad for Sharapova that, so far, Williams is better at all of them.

Poor Maria.