Sharapova says she’s just a Dork

Maria Sharapova wore black patent leather open-toe pumps with 3-inch stiletto heels and a copper sundress to a casual interview Sunday after her definitive U.S. Open title win.

Even if this has validated her fame, coming two years after she won her first major championship at Wimbledon, Sharapova described herself as "like the dork in the group" of her friends. They sent her text messages saying "typical Maria" after she jerked the Open's silver trophy over her head and sent the lid flying Saturday.

But on the court, her willowy limbs had moved in concert as she struck bold winners in a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Justine Henin-Hardenne.

"I know it's hard for everyone to hear that I'm a normal girl," Sharapova said Sunday. "I have a career at 19 years old. I've never gone to a regular school, I'm not a social bunny, I don't go babysitting to make an extra buck.

"At the end of the day, no matter how much money I'm making, what I've done in my career, no matter what cool cars or house I have, I'm still Maria. I'm still a normal girl that still enjoys life."

Born in Siberia, Sharapova moved to the United States at age 9. She now drives a Range Rover and is still shocked to live part-time in a house overlooking the ocean in Manhattan Beach (Los Angeles County).

She said she could not understand why she was suspected of benefiting from illegal coaching.

Between sets, her hitting partner, Michael Joyce, was shown on television holding up four fingers and a banana.

Sharapova said it was signal that she should drink four bottles of liquid. Officials investigated the incident Sunday and said it did not constitute coaching.

After appearing on "Late Night with David Letterman" tonight, Sharapova said she would take four weeks off, then return to play in Moscow. "Yeah, the day after, it's hard to think about the future," she said

Grandslam No#2 For Maria

There was no stopping the coronation in Queens. Through precise and powerful groundstrokes, punctuated by a shriek, Maria Sharapova would have her second Grand Slam title, this one near her spiritual Madison Avenue home.

But despite a career so manicured that even her water breaks are commanded by edict, she jumped so hard after lifting up the silver champion's trophy that the lid popped off and tumbled to the ground. And then she leaned her head back and laughed with abandon like the teenager she is.

The Arthur Ashe Stadium sellout crowd was behind the 19-year-old Russian, who basked in the lights at the U.S. Open. When her 6-4, 6-4 win over No. 2 Justine Henin-Hardenne was complete Saturday night, she gave another scream — this time for joy.

Sharapova, the second seed, then made the ceremonial winner's climb up to her
player box and hugged her father, Yuri Sharapova. It had been two years since she won Wimbledon, punctuated by five slams where she was dead-ended in a semifinal.

"I experienced it two years ago, and I knew that I wasn't done," Sharapova said. "I had a lot more in me."

As the red carpet was rolled out for the trophy presentation, Sharapova made a phone call on her Motorola and put on a wristwatch. Viewers at home could once again watch the Nike commercial she starred in. This is a player the marketers love, with estimated earnings of $19 million a year, according to Forbes.

Henin-Hardenne, the winner of the French this year, was only the seventh woman to reach the final of all four Grand Slam events in a single year. Even though the Belgian had managed to beat Sharapova in four of their previous five meetings, she was able to muster just a single break point.

"She's been a real fighter tonight," said Henin-Hardenne of Sharapova. "The better player won tonight."

It came during Sharapova's first service game, which included two of her four double faults. The 6-foot-2 Russian immediately broke back, and broke Henin-Hardenne a second time to go up 5-4 by nailing a deep forehand which the Belgian couldn't handle.

In the second set, the two were on serve until Henin-Hardenne pushed her to deuce by winning a 24-stroke rally when Sharapova flatly pushed a forehand into the net. The Belgian seemed to have the momentum, but Sharapova hit two aces in the next four points to stay on serve at 3-3.

"She served better than she probably did in our last meetings," Henin-Hardenne said.

On the next game, Sharapova broke Henin-Hardenne by taking advantage of a service game fraught with unforced errors and a double fault.

Sharapova again got signals from the team in her player box to indicate moments when she should eat and drink during the match.

USTA officials said that the earlier infractions — such as father Yuri acting as a puppetmaster with banana and water, and possibly signaling for his daughter to take a bathroom break after losing the second set to Amelie Mauresmo in the semifinal — did not count as coaching.

Sharapova had an at-times petulant post-match, which she began by saying, "Let's make this a positive session tonight, please. Por favor." She got into a bit of a testy exchange with reporters who asked about the signals sent from her father in the box, which led to a sentence that it's fair to say had never been uttered by a Grand Slam champion. Or anyone else, for that matter.

"I believe, at the end of the day, personally, my life is not about a banana," Sharapova said.

"It's not about what I wear. It's not about the friends that I have. My career right now is about winning a tennis match. And right now, I'm sitting here as a U.S. Open champion, and the last thing I think people need to worry about is a banana."

In her on-court winner's speech, Sharapova thanked her father by saying, "I love daddy." Either by accident or by design, at that moment, Yuri was on the Motorola phone his daughter endorses.

With the win, Sharapova earns $1.2 million, plus $500,000 in bonus money from coming in second in the U.S. Open Series during the hardcourt season this summer. She also moves up a spot to No. 3 in the WTA rankings. She, in turn, applauded the USTA for naming the grounds after Billie Jean King just before she was given her checks.

"Without Billie Jean this would not be possible," Sharapova said

Sharapova 'n' Roddick share court

Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova braved the rain at the US Open, taking to the court in Arthur Ashe Stadium for a brief side-by-side practice session. They've been the subject of gossip about whether they're an item: Sharapova says she won't dicuss her private life; Roddick said this week they're not dating.

Roddick and Sharapova shared the court Saturday, but they didn't appear to share so much as a glance in the other's direction. First, they were at opposite baselines, hitting diagonally cross-court to their respective hitting partners. Then they stood at the same end of the court, swatting balls over the net, but not interacting.

Sharapova and Roddick “Just Good frenz”

Speaking after her 6-3, 6-0 win over Michaella Krajicek, the Russian beauty was asked whether she had bought Roddick a gift?

"Is it his birthday?" Sharapova answered. "I had no idea. I have no idea."

Sharapova followed up by saying she and Roddick were just friends.

"I really don't talk about my personal life," she said. "When two tennis players know each other and are friends and are known around the world, people are going to talk.

"That is exactly what is happening."

Andy Roddick was not in party mood after marking his 24th birthday with victory at the US Open, trying to put to rest rumours about him and Maria.

"We're not dating," he said after his 6-3 7-6 6-3 win over Danish qualifier Kristian Pless.

"I've said it a million times already, but you guys refuse to write it. You know, we're friendly. We're in the same places. I think she's a great girl. You know, we'll talk. That's about it."

"It's a little bit of a stretch when we both travel. She's actually busier than I am. That's a little bit of a stretch. But, you know, I think she's great. I can't say enough nice things about her," he said.

Nike dresses up Sharapova in new Campaign

Maria Sharapova, one of the world’s top-ranked women tennis players, will star in her first solo marketing campaign for Nike, a multimedia effort to support the launch of a line of performance-wear that Nike designed in conjunction with the athlete.

The effort, “I feel pretty,” via Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore., will debut with a TV spot on Sunday, Aug. 20, during the “Teen Choice Awards” on Fox, then go into rotation on network and cable. Print and Internet will support, as will personal appearances by Sharapova in conjunction with the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 28 in Queens, N.Y. Spend for the campaign was not disclosed.

In the ad, it begins with Maria in one of her new Nike tennis outfits in her hotel room, and then follows her as she is driven to the tennis stadium and as she walks onto center court. Along the way, she passes workers in the hotel, fans, players and members of the media, who all sing “I Feel Pretty.” (The song was originally heard in the classic Broadway play, West Side Story.) Ultimately, the entire crowd in the tennis stadium is singing. But they are silenced when the match begins and Sharapova lets out one of her classic grunts as she returns a serve.

The TV spot is reminiscent of a commercial with Sharapova that broke in May for Canon’s PowerShot, “Attraction,” via Dentsu America, New York, in which tennis balls follow her from the court to her hotel room, eventually forming a giant smiley face outside her window.

Others featured in the new spot include John McEnroe, Patrick McEnroe and two-time tennis Olympic gold medalist Mary Joe Fernandez.

"It's unbelievable," said Sharapova's agent, Max Eisenbud at IMG, Cleveland. "We're more than happy about the campaign and the apparel deal."

Sharapova, who turned 19 in April, is one of the world’s highest-paid women athlete endorsers. She’ll earn about $20 million in 2006 via deals with Nike, Colgate-Palmolive, Tag Heuer, Motorola, Parlux, Sega and Land Rover.