Sharapova talks feeling small with EDIT magazine

Maria Sharapova is playing in her first Grand Slam since the 2016 Australian Open, and things couldn't be going better. She survived a tough draw in Simona Halep in round one, and then battled past Timea Babos and Sofia Kenin, all in front of big crowds inside of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

She's doing her best to put the meldonium-laced scandal behind her. Before the US Open began, she took time to shoot for EDIT magazine, and opened up even more about her struggles during her 15-month suspension.

“I felt so small,” she told EDIT. “For a woman who’s tall and powerful–an athlete–it was a very distant feeling.”

She's got to be feeling very powerful these days. The 30-year-old is into the fourth round, and has to be considered a favorite to take it all.

There's more good news for the Russian. Her Thursday night 7-5, 6-2 win over 18-year-old Kenin pushed her ranking back into the Top 100.

"The goal is to keep winning matches, obviously to keep improving. I mean, even when I was young, ranking is just not something that I've focused on or paid attention to. Even when I hadn't been No. 1 in the world, it just wasn't really that big a goal of mine," she said. "The more matches you win, the more chances you have of getting a better ranking. That's my goal."

There are more matches to be won as Sharapova faces Anastasija Sevastova next.