"If someone tells me to eat a banana, I'm going to win a match?" - When Maria Sharapova snapped at questions on courtside coaching after US Open win

Maria Sharapova lifted her second Grand Slam crown at the 2006 US Open, two years after her famous triumph at the All England Club. The Russian ousted Justine Henin 6-4, 6-4 in the summit clash of the New York Slam, dominating most aspects of the game on the day.

The match, however, was not free of controversy, as a few signs from Shaparova’s box during the contest piqued the interest of the media. Specifically, Sharapova’s father was seen holding up a banana while her fitness trainer held up four fingers during a change of ends.

While the officials found the signs permissible, that did not stop the media from quizzing the newly crowned champion about them.

Sharapova, however, was not having any of it. The Russian was quick to shut down questions on that front during the post-match press conference, saying she was not going to talk about “fingers” or “bananas” right after winning a Grand Slam.

"I just won a Grand Slam," Maria Sharapova said. "The last thing I'm going to talk about is some fingers or a banana, all right? I hope you got that one, thanks."

The Russian added that no player would go on to win a Grand Slam just by being told to eat a banana, joking that everyone would be a Major winner if that were the case.

"Can you tell me, if someone tells me to eat a banana, do you think that's the reason why I'm going to win a match?" Sharapova continued. "This is great advice. We should tell all the players to, you know, have a banana and they're all going to win. Great."

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"I knew that I wasn't done" - Maria Sharapova after winning second Grand Slam at the 2006 US Open

Maria Sharapova with the 2006 US Open trophy.

Maria Sharapova also reflected on her journey to winning a second Grand Slam title in the post-match press conference. Sharapova stated that she knew she had more to give after winning the title at Wimbledon as a 17-year-old.

The future World No. 1 dubbed her run to the 2004 Wimbledon Championships title, where she beat Serena Williams in the final, as "just the beginning."

"I experienced it two years ago, and I knew that I wasn't done, I had a lot more in me," Maria Sharapova said. "That was just the beginning."

Sharapova further said her preparation had not begun two weeks prior to the tournament, but rather when she was still a little girl. Sharapova stated:

"This is not just preparation that happened a couple weeks before the tournament; this is preparation that I've done ever since I was a little girl with the help of my amazing family."