The Russian teenager reached the last 16 in Miami [Images] before losing 6-4, 6-3 to eventual champion Serena Williams [Images], the player she beat in the Wimbledon final four months later.

"It definitely helped me with experience. I had never played her before," said Sharapova.

"It was one of those matches where I went out and I played a pretty good match but I didn't do enough to win. I learned a lot and it helped me in my Wimbledon final."

Sharapova opens her Nasdaq-100 challenge against Greece's Eleni Daniilidou in the second round, having already won titles in Tokyo and Doha this season.

The 17-year-old was thrashed 6-0, 6-0 by world number one Lindsay Davenport [Images] in the semi-finals at Indian Wells last week but the Russian said that performance would have no bearing on this week.

"It was just one of those days where I didn't really find a way to fight out there," said Sharapova, who attended a gala event on Tuesday night to pick up her awards for WTA Tour Player of the Year, Most Improved Player and Fans' Favourite.

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"Maybe I was lacking energy and also because of the fact that Lindsay, I think, was just playing too good.

"I guess it was good for me to just take a few days off and rest myself and just forget about it.

"I think the losses really motivate me. I'm not going to win every single match in my career and if it's three match points or 6-0, 6-0 it's still a loss."

World number three Sharapova, who has lived in Florida [Images] since she and her father left Russia [Images] when she was seven, could overtake France's [Images] Amelie Mauresmo as number two if she wins the title here.

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