FEEDBACK: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29

Sharapova hasn't earned top rung in Top Ten

Maria Sharapova beats a completely off-form, foundering Venus Williams, and a has-to-be-tired Elena Dementieva in three sets to reach a final where she loses to Alicia Molik, and you think she's going to go to LA and plow through the likes of Lindsay Davenport, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anastasia Myskina, Amelie Mauresmo, and either Jennifer Capriati, Serena Williams or Venus!? You're joking right?

I know Sharapova's shoulder was hurting, but let's not blame the loss on that. Sharapova won two Challengers, er, I mean Tier IV titles going into last week's tournament. A win over Venus nowadays doesn't really tell you anything about anyone's form, except that they have smartly taken advantage of great player who's lost her game.