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Maria Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987 to dad Yuri Sharapov and mom
Yelena Sharapova in Nyagan, Russia - a Siberian region, to which they fled
from Gomel, Belarus a year earlier. Maria first started playing tennis at
age four and at age six Maria played an exhibition match in Moscow with
Martina Navratilova who saw tremendous potential in her and recommended that
she should come to the United States to train and develop her game. Yuri
decided to follow up with the advice given by Martina Navratilova later on
and they made the move to Bradenton, Florida to train at the Nick
Bollettieri Tennis Academy when Maria was just nine years old. Maria's
mother was unable to come along due to finances and visa restrictions back
home. Maria's parents made a lot of sacrifices but they were determined to
help Maria be the best that she could be. Maria's enormous potential was
noticeable and her parents were supporting her all the way.
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A sports company (IMG) had sponsored Maria and took care of the costs of her
training at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy. Yuri worked all kinds of jobs
and he helped out as much as possible. Maria lived in a dorm where she
shared a room with three older girls. Maria was pretty shy and quiet, she
was home sick and missing her mother who was back in Russia. Maria learned
english pretty quickly. A couple of years later Maria's mom was able to get
a visa and reunite with her husband and daughter. Yelena made it a priority
to work with Maria and educate her well, up to this point she had never in
her
Sarapova turned pro by the end of 2001. The following year she played mostly
ITF/Challenger events and finished the year with a solid 28-5 singles record
and a #186 WTA Tour ranking. 2003 was Maria's breakthrough season where she
climbed the rankings all the way up to #32 in the world and put together an
impressive record of 38-13 with 2 tournament wins towards the end of the
season in Japan and Canada. In 2004 Maria won her first grand slam,
Wimbledon and by the end of the year she put together a great run to take
home the WTA Tour season ending championships as well as three other
tournament titles. Maria Sharapova became the first Russian female to win
the season ending championships and became only the second debudante to win
the title. Maria was also the second youngest ladies Wimbledon singles
champion in the open era and third youngest all-time grand slam winner at
only 17 years and two months. It was a great year for Maria which she
finished #4 in the world and topped the 2004 prize money list with
$2,506,263 in earnings from tournament wins.
At the 2005 Australian Open Maria Sharapova donated value of a Porsche
Cayenne which she won at the 2004 WTA Tour Championships to those affected
by the Beslan Russian school hostage crisis. Maria played in December of
2004 with Haynes, Kirilenko, Vaidisova, Stubbs and state Governor Jeb Bush
in a tennis exhibition in Tampa, Florida to raise money for the Florida
Hurricane Relief Fund. Also that same month Maria played an exhibition match
in Bangkok where she had met up with Thailand's prime minister and donated
$10,000 for tsunami relie
Sharapova's off court interests include dancing, singing, movies and
fashion. Also enjoys reading books. At only 18 years old Maria is already an
extremely accomplished tennis player and a role model. Featured on cover of
June 2005 issue of ESPN the Magazine and also on July 2005 issue of Forbes
Magazine, where she is listed as the richest female athlete in the world.
Named as one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2005.
Nominated for Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award 2005. Captured
2004 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Player of the Year Award, along with Most
Improved Player of the Year honors. Was named as one of the most marketable
female athletes by public relations and marketing industries in 2005.
Following 2004 Wimbledon win Maria appeared on NBC's Today Show, Live with
Regis and Kelly, the Mike and Mike Show on ESPN Radio, Entertainment Tonight,
Inside Edition, ESPN's SportsCenter, Fox and Friends, ESPN's Cold Pizza, the
CBS Early Show, MTV's TRL (Total Request Live) where she played table tennis;
followed by film by crews from Inside Edition, Access Hollywood and the WTA
Magazine Show; on July 8, became first tennis player in more than two years
to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated in a special double-issue on
newsstands for two weeks. Featured in August 2004 Vogue Italia. In 2003,
profiled in W magazine and USA Today, named one of the "coolest girls" in
America by YM magazine and ‘On the Move’ by People Magazine in a September
issue, appeared on CBS-TV Craig Kilborn Show November 20. In 2002, appeared
on Teen People’s list of 20 teens who will change the world and named by
SPORT Magazine as one of 21 athletes to watch for in the 21st Century.
Profile.
Date of Birth: April 19, 1987
Birthplace: Nyagan, Russia (Siberian Region)
Residence: Bradenton, Florida, USA
Nationality: Russian
Height: 6'2
Weight: 130 lbs. (59 kg)
Plays: Right-handed
Clothing: Nike
Racquet: Prince
Endorsements: Speedminton, Motorola, Parlux Fragrances, Canon, TAG Heuer,
Honda Japan & Colgate-Palmolive |
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MARIA SHARAPOVA PICTURES |
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