Maria Sharapova

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. 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 life attended a formal school. Sharapova 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 relief. 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.   Maria Sharapova is enjoying another great season in 2005... Currently ranked #2 in the world, coached by her dad Yuri Sharapov and Robert Lansdorp. Lives in Bradenton, Florida - USA.