...Crazy About Hot n Sexy Maria Sharapova...

2009-11-07T22:54:00.000-08:00

Uncover The Magic Behind A Winning Soccer Team

Have you ever imagined how a handful of secret youth soccer coaching tips can help you build a great soccer team The answer is most likely No because you think that it takes years of practice and experience to become a good coach. In this article, we share some important kids soccer drills that will put the kids on a winning track.

The game of soccer demands great deal of planning, expertise, and athleticism. It is your duty to help the kids realize that. At the beginning, keep it simple. What are the different aspects of soccer, strategies, practice drills, fitness, diet, and basically everything that makes the game and its players? Make sure that you are not talking all the time and the kids are also throwing their part. Motivate the kids to talk to you. When you are friendly to them, the kids will enjoy learning and playing soccer.

Be very cautious executing youth soccer coaching drills. Before each practice session, give the kids instructions. The instructions should not be very long. A session that lasts for 30 minutes, do not devote more than 10 minutes to initial briefing. Do not interfere during the drill and let the boys have fun with the game. Take note of the mistakes being made and address them afterwards or during the breaks. Make a point to stay away from the session unless it becomes imperative else it may steal the fun from the drills. These soccer coaching tips can do wonders.

Frame the feedback carefully. The kids may take things to heart. Ensure that you maintain a degree of calmness when talking to kids. It is suicidal to use foul language. Your understanding of what kids can do or achieve at specific age groups is crucial in this communication. It is important that you pay attention to what others have to say. At times, even young players have powerful ideas that can be translated into great results.

Parents naturally have a great interest in how their kids are progressing. Try to involve them as much as you can. It is not possible to be with them the entire day. For the kids to succeed in each endeavor, their parents play a major role by directing their life in the right direction. It is a great idea to meet them often and share your views as well as seek theirs. It is important to remember that these meetings are scheduled anytime after or before the training session. Please ensure that kids are not a part of these meetings. It is important to involve kids parents to make the learning process easy and interesting which would require you to make the parents understand your dream and related approach too.

Kids must stay motivated to continuously work towards the stated goals and it depends on how well their hard work is recognized. It will bring positive results in form of greater confidence levels by being accepted for their work. Once the kids reach a certain level of complexity, go ahead and increase it. In soccer conditioning, there is no harm in testing the capabilities of the young ones and also present a few challenges but do not go overboard with them.

Be very careful while practicing it. Youth soccer is demanding on your time and energy, asks for complete knowledge and a right coach to make it big. These soccer coaching tips will help you move forward in creating a winning team. Even a diamond in its raw form needs polishing by a professional, so you must also become a part of our youth soccer coaching facility to go places in your profession.

inflatable goal posts

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portable inflatable goals

2007-11-23T08:57:00.000-08:00

A Social Networking site for sports enthusiasts

As a sports fan I recently visited a new website called Oddsbreakers, I was delighted to see the site has fully embraced the concept of Web 2.0 by providing a social network for global football fans. The site combines an up to date news facility from football clubs around the world, the site also includes an interactive, user-friendly chat interface. The concept of Web 2.0 was initially born from a meeting between Tim O’ Reilly and MediaLive International, the results of this meeting were visionary. Their interpretation was, that far from the internet ‘crashing’ when the dot-com bubble burst in 2001, it was in fact flourishing with new websites and applications appearing on a regular basis. The results of this meeting turned out to be true, however at the time they were scorned.

The introduction of social networking sites is a major aspect of Web 2.0, you will no doubt have heard of the major players in this industry, such as; Stumbleupon, MySpace and Facebook. These sites are growing at such an alarming rate that is it forecast they could well be bigger than Google by the year 2015.

Oddsbreakers have recently launched their own brand of Web 2.0 by delivering a social networking that focuses on delivering up to date football and other sports news and gossip. I have longed to find a website like this, generally I have to visit around 5 sites to find out what’s going on in the sports world. Now I simply visit this website where I am able to find out all I need to know. It is nice and refreshing to see Oddsbreakers pushing the boundaries by combining the ethos of web 2.0 with a sporting network, I personally believe social networking sites will form the corner stone of the Internet for many years to come. They are certainly user friendly, fun to use and they are a great medium for interaction and making new friends.

I am sure the site will be well subscribed to by global sports fans and webmasters alike.

2007-06-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

Stronger Sharapova confident before favorite slam

Maria Sharapova returns to her favorite tournament next week feeling stronger than ever and confident she can repeat her 2004 success.

The Russian surprised many people, including herself, by reaching the French Open semi-finals earlier this month, on one of her least favourite surfaces and while still recovering from a shoulder injury that sidelined her for two months."I think that definitely gives me a lot of confidence moving on to the grass season," the 20-year-old world number two told Reuters in an interview.

"If my shoulder holds up and goes the way it went the last two weeks then I'm definitely really confident."

On grass she is a far cry from the 'cow on ice' description she gave herself on clay in Paris and her record at Wimbledon of two semi-final appearances since her win backs up her belief that she is a top contender this year.

"Grass definitely suits my game. With the power and the big first serve I feel I can get a good start on the point," she said.

Since winning Wimbledon as a 17-year-old, Sharapova has worked on the physical aspect of her game and gone from what she described as "a little skinny girl the size of spaghetti" to a more powerful-looking player.

"That's something that I've been working on for the last few years and I feel like I'm getting there. Year by year I feel stronger than last year so I've definitely made progress," said Sharapova, who won the U.S. Open last year.

2007-06-14T23:44:00.000-07:00

Maria Sharapova advance in Istanbul Cup

Maria has scored her 1st win on clay of 2007 today as she defeated #95 Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 6-4 7-6 (1) in 2 hours and 15 minutes to advance to the quarters at the Istanbul Cup.

Pironkova broke Maria in the 1st set to lead 3-1, the Maria went on a roll by taking the next 4 games and just dropped 1 more game as she took the set 6-4.

Maria broke in the 1st game of the 2nd set but Pironkova broke Maria's serve in the 8th game and the set was finally decided on a tie-break which Maria won 7-1.

In the quarters to be played on Thursday, Maria will play either #7 seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland or Romina Oprandi of Italy, Maria hasn't played either player before.

2007-06-01T10:24:00.001-07:00

Maria Sharapova advance in Istanbul Cup

Maria has scored her 1st win on clay of 2007 today as she defeated #95 Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 6-4 7-6 (1) in 2 hours and 15 minutes to advance to the quarters at the Istanbul Cup.

Pironkova broke Maria in the 1st set to lead 3-1, the Maria went on a roll by taking the next 4 games and just dropped 1 more game as she took the set 6-4.Maria broke in the 1st game of the 2nd set but Pironkova broke Maria's serve in the 8th game and the set was finally decided on a tie-break which Maria won 7-1.

In the quarters to be played on Thursday, Maria will play either #7 seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland or Romina Oprandi of Italy, Maria hasn't played either player before.

2007-05-27T10:24:00.001-07:00

Sharapova and Dolce Vamp for Canon

Canon will break two spots with tennis star Maria Sharapova tonight to support the PowerShot SD750 Digital ELPH camera.

The spots, “Banter” and “Dolce,” are part of a larger campaign that also includes print, Internet and live activation at the French Open. Dentsu America, New York, is the lead agency. The spots were directed by Joe Pytka.

The two spots follow Sharapova as she attempts to take photos of her Pomeranian dog, Dolce, including chasing the pooch around a tennis court, her house and her pool. The spots will break separately during 24, American Idol and on the MTV Music Awards. They will air together during the NBA Finals and other cable shows. Print will hit newsstands in early June in publications including Entertainment Weekly, People and Wired.“This campaign shows a fun side of Maria and showcases how much she enjoys using her Canon PowerShot digital camera to capture all her favorite moments,” Mike Wilson, chief creative officer at Dentsu America, said in a statement.

Canon USA, Lake Success, N.Y., spends about $25 million on media behind PowerShot, per TNS. The company is in the third year of a three-year, $6 million deal it signed with Sharapova in 2004. Max Eisenbud at IMG, Cleveland, is Sharapova’s agent.

2007-04-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Maria Sharapova signed on to play in the WTT Pro League
Two of the world's most exciting players are returning to World TeamTennis action this summer. Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams have signed on to play in the WTT Pro League presented by Advanta which begins July 5.
Sharapova, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, will play for the Newport Beach Breakers on Monday, July 16, when they host the Kansas City Explorers. Sharapova previously played three seasons for the Breakers from 2003-2005. She made her WTT debut as a 15-year-old in 2002 for the Delaware Smash. Former World No. 1 Serena Williams returns to World TeamTennis for the first time since her WTT debut in 2000. This summer Williams will play for the St. Louis Aces on Monday, July 23, when they host the New York Sportimes.The League also announced that the world's top-ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan have added another WTT match to their schedule. The Bryans, who play for the Kansas City Explorers, will make an appearance in Springfield on Sunday, July 15.

Sharapova and Williams join a star-studded list for 2007 WTT action including Venus Williams, Pete Sampras, Anna Kournikova, John McEnroe, and Mike and Bob Bryan. The regular season runs July 5 through July 25 with 77 matches in 11 markets.

"Making of Maria"

2007-04-12T11:47:00.001-07:00

2007-04-03T02:04:00.000-07:00

Sharapova to miss Fed Cup debut

World number two Maria Sharapova will not make her Fed Cup debut for Russia later this month because of shoulder and hamstring injuries. The 19-year-old had been set to represent Russia for the first time in the first-round tie against Spain on 21-22 April in Moscow. "I am especially bummed about the Fed Cup," Sharapova told her website. "I was looking forward to playing in Moscow and representing my country in a team environment for the first time." Sharapova, who has also been forced to withdraw from next week's Family Circle Cup in Charleston, moved to the USA aged nine and has never played for Russia. "I will be speaking with the Russian Federation soon about future matches," she said. Sharapova added: "My doctors are confident that, with five or six weeks of rest, I will be ready for the next events."

2007-03-26T10:26:00.001-07:00

Sharapova sends Venus out in revenge win

Maria Sharapova rallied to avenge a Wimbledon defeat with a three-set victory over Venus Williams, but she had to wait another day to see if she'll get a similar chance against Serena Williams.
Top-seeded Sharapova beat Venus Williams 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 to reach the fourth round of the 6.9 million-dollar WTA and ATP Masters Series tournament here.

Sharapova, who lost to Venus Williams in their last meeting - in the 2005 Wimbledon semi-finals - emerged with the victory in a hard-fought match yesterday in which the windy conditions contributed to the 50 unforced errors and 12 double faults by Williams and 35 unforced errors and 13 double faults by Sharapova.After going up 2-0 in the opening set Sharapova surrendered the next six games. She responded in kind in the second set to force the decider, which ended when Williams fired long.

Sharapova was next due to face either Australian Open champion Serena Williams or Czech Lucie Safarova.

But the scheduled night match between 13th-seeded Serena and Safarova was postponed until today when rain that has plagued the tournament struck again, leaving Sharapova to wait and see if she'll get a chance to avenge her Australian open finals rout.

Sharapova was joined in the fourth round by second-seeded Belgian Justine Henin, No. 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova and No. 4 Kim Clijsters of belgium, while fifth-seeded Swiss Martina Hingis exited in the third round for the second straight year.

2007-03-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

Williams sisters and Sharapova might meet early at Sony Open
Maria Sharapova will be the topseed after all as the organizers of the Sony Ericsson Open decided to use the rankings before Indian Wells. Yet last year they used the ones after the Pacific Life Open.

Maria Sharapova and The Williams sisters are all packed into the same explosive eighth of the draw announced Monday.
That means three of the biggest names in women's tennis are on a collision course by the fourth round.

The young Russian who is going to turn 20 on April 19th has a first round bye and then will either meet Chan, Yung-Jan from Taipei or Llagostera Vives, Nuria from Spain for a berth in the 3rd round. She has never played Chan before, but leads the H2H against Llagostera Vives 2-0.

2007-03-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

Sharapova struggles to 2nd-round victory

Top-ranked Maria Sharapova opened her title defense in the Pacific Life Open with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory over Michaella Krajicek on Friday night in a second-round match at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Sharapova, who had a first-round bye, had not played a match since straining her left hamstring in Tokyo in early February. The effects of the layoff were obvious in her 1-hour, 44-minute struggle against Krajicek, the 18-year-old sister of former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek.

Sharapova had 10 double-faults and 50 unforced errors and lost service four times. She finally secured the win on her fourth match point when Krajicek's backhand from the baseline hit the top of the net and fell on her side of the court.

Sharapova, the 15th player to be No. 1 on the WTA Tour, improved to 9-2 on the year and will face Nathalie Dechy of France in the third round.

2007-03-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

Deal or No Deal

Ever thought of walking onto a television stage set and walking away with a cool million? With this game you are only one briefcase away from doing just that. Hosted by Howie Mandel and with 26 beautiful models the show which premiered on December 19, 2005 will now begin showing on Wednesdays this season.

The harrowing ride begins for contestants when they choose a briefcase and then have to select six to be opened. Each of the 26 briefcases hold amounts from $.01 to $1,000,000. The hope of the contestant is that they have the one case that holds the million dollars. As the contestant begins to open cases, they pray that those which are opened are on the left side of the board so that when the banker comes back with a buyout bid amount it will be high. Once the larger amounts start to be removed from the board the banker plays the odds and works out the percentage chance that the contestant holds a case with a high dollar value in it.

Once the first six cases have been opened the banker plugs some numbers into his computer and decides on a buyout bid, calling Howie to inform him. While the contestant waits and wrings their hands or stomps their feet, Howie draws the moment out. Once he gives them the offer he opens a clear box on the table in front of the them where a big red button awaits their decision and asks the contestant: "Deal or No Deal?"

It would be unusual for someone to make a deal this early in the game so on to the next round. The contestant closes the box and says "No Deal" and now must open 5 more cases. This continues on until the contestant is opening one case at a time and waiting for the bankers buyout bid with every case opened. Some contestants do become very practical and figure that the offer is more than they would make in several years working so they finally hit the button and say "Deal".

In Episode 24 more than one deal was struck. Due to the contestants profession both Howie and The Banker put on clown noses. During the show and all the excitement that went with it, the contestant took a moment to ask his girlfriend to marry him. Howie then posed the question "Deal or No Deal" to her to which she replied, "Deal". At the end of the hour the contestant finally took a deal for $301,000. Good thing since his chosen case, number 11, only held $25. This is just one of the many everyday average people who have walked away from the show with a great deal.

Deal or No Deal has made an instant impact on the country and keeps us glued to the TV to see whether the right case was chosen or the contestant can make a better deal. NBC seems to have a hit with this suspenseful show, and it constantly rates in the top ten shows each week.

2007-03-01T10:15:00.000-08:00

Sharapova Named UN Goodwill Ambassador

The United Nations development aid agency has appointed tennis star Maria Sharapova as a goodwill ambassador. From U.N. headquarters, VOA's Peter Heinlein reports Ms. Sharapova made a cash donation to help with Chernobyl recovery projects.

Maria Sharapova has come a long way in her 19 years. Now she wants to go back to her roots.

The world's top-ranked women's tennis player signed a letter Wednesday committing herself to promoting United Nations aid programs as a celebrity goodwill ambassador.

The teenage tennis sensation has lived in the United States for most of her life. But she was born in Soviet Siberia in 1987, and remains a Russian citizen. Her parents had moved to Siberia to escape the fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident a year earlier, near their home in what is now Belarus. Her grandmother still lives in the Belarus town of Gomel, just across the Ukrainian border from Chernobyl.

She said one of her reasons for wanting to become a goodwill ambassador is her concern for the forgotten victims of Chernobyl.

"I was born in Siberia and I moved from Siberia when I was two years old because of Chernobyl, because both of my parents thought for my safety and the radiation that it was not right for me to live there," she said. "So that's why it means so much to me to be part of project because I was part of it as well."

Sharapova handed a check for $100,000 to U.N. Development Program official Ad Melkert. She says the money will be used to help residents in and around Chernobyl.

"This money is going to go toward computer centers in the affected areas of Chernobyl," she said. "They're going to go to sports centers, family hospitals. Places like that."

The UNDP's Melkert said Sharapova's presence will help to shine a spotlight on efforts to help the world poorest.

"We struggle with the knowledge that one billion people don't even have access to a glass of drinkable water, and two billion people do not have access to electricity, and therefore we must work with the private sector, with foundations, with individuals," she said.

Like any teenager, Sharapova giggled when she was introduced to a packed news conference as the U.N.'s newest celebrity goodwill ambassador. Her first reaction was an expression of wonder at her surroundings.

"This is my first time here to this headquarters, and I just got to see all the different settings you see on TV, so it's pretty cool to sit in a chair and feel official for a little bit," she said.

As a UNDP goodwill ambassador, Sharapova joins several other celebrity envoys. Others include Norway's Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, Japanese actress Misako Konno, along with three soccer stars, Ronaldo of Brazil, Zinedine Zidane of France, and Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast.

For her services, the world's highest paid female athlete will earn a salary of $1 a year.

2007-02-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

Sharapova, Serena withdraw from Dubai

Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams both withdrew Friday from next week's WTA Dubai Duty Free Women's Open Tennis Tournament, citing ailments.

Williams, who trounced Sharapova on Jan. 27 to win the Australian Open for her eighth Grand Slam title, has battled the flu in recent days.The illness forced her to opt out of this week's Bangalore Open in India.

Sharapova has been hampered by a hamstring injury.

"I'm very disappointed to have to withdraw," Sharapova said in a statement. "The hamstring that I injured in Tokyo is not yet healed. I tried everything possible to be in condition to play, but unfortunately I'm not ready. I'm looking forward to continuing to recover as quickly as possible so that I can get back on the court competing."

2007-02-05T03:23:00.000-08:00

Sharapova enters Family Circle Cup

Maria Sharapova, the most recognizable and highest paid female athlete in the world, has officially entered the 2007 Family Circle Cup. At only nineteen years old, this two-time Grand Slam champion returns to Charleston with stellar career marks including 15 singles titles, a 239-56 win-loss record and over $9 million in winnings.

Yesterday she regained the World No. 1 ranking, marking the 8th week in her career that she has held the top spot in women’s professional tennis. Since computer rankings were started in 1973, only 15 women have achieved the status of World No. 1 on the women’s professional tennis tour.
This year, the Family Circle Cup is proud to feature four members of that elite club who will be joining a host of other top players battling for one of the most coveted trophies in women’s tennis. With the addition of World No. 1 Maria Sharapova, this year’s Family Circle Cup player field now boasts four of the top five players in the world including Justine Henin-Hardenne, Amélie Mauresmo and Svetlana Kuznetsova. The 2007 Family Circle Cup is scheduled for April 7th-15th at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, South Carolina.

“Maria is one of the most sought-after players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, and her commitment to play this event takes the Family Circle Cup to a whole new level,” commented Robin Reynolds, Family Circle Cup Tournament Director. “Not only is she the world’s top female player, but Maria is also a celebrity that transcends tennis, and we are very pleased that she’ll be here in April.”

“I have very pleasant memories of my trip to Charleston four years ago and I’m looking forward to playing in the tournament and enjoying some time in the city,” noted reigning US Open Champion / World No. 1 player Maria Sharapova. “The Family Circle Cup has a great reputation on the Tour, especially with the players, so I’m excited to be coming back and starting my clay court season at such a wonderful event.”

Maria Sharapova first competed in the Family Circle Cup as a World No. 167 ranked qualifier in 2003 where she reached the first round of the main draw. Her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour victory came later that year at the Japan Open, then another in Quebec City, which propelled her through the rankings to finish at No. 32 in the world.

Sharapova thrust herself onto a world stage in 2004 when she claimed her first major title as the second youngest ladies champion in the open era at Wimbledon, then won the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships leading to a year-end career-high No. 4 ranking. She also received two major awards that year including the WTA Tour’s “Player of the Year” and “Most Improved Player of the Year”.

She repeated as the World’s No. 4 player in 2005 by reaching the quarterfinals or better in all 15 events in which she competed (including all four Grand Slams), winning three finals including her first Tier I title at Tokyo (Pan Pacific), reaching the semifinals of the Tour Championships, and becoming the 15th player in history to appear at the No. 1 spot which she held for a total of 7 weeks that year.

Sharapova’s best year to date came in 2006 as she earned a year-end World No. 2 ranking by reaching the semifinals or better in 13 of 15 starts, claiming 5 titles including three Tier I events and her second major at the US Open, and completed a 19-match win streak with a semifinal appearance at the Tour Championships. Her 59 match wins (second best in 2006) helped her to surpass the 200 career victory mark as she became the highest-earning Russian in Tour history, in addition to being named the Whirlpool “6th Sense Player of the Year”.

2007-01-27T11:51:00.000-08:00

Williams crushes Sharapova to take third Australian Open

Unseeded Serena Williams swatted aside top seed and world number one Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-2 in the Australian Open final to win her eighth Grand Slam.

Sharapova had no answer to Williams' booming serve and blistering returns as the American completed a fairytale return from injury with a third Australian title to join her 2003 and 2005 trophies.

Coming into the final as the underdog, the 25-year-old made a mockery of her world ranking of 81 to humiliate Sharapova and become the first unseeded player since 1978 to claim the Australian title.

With the roof of the Rod Laver Arena closed because of drizzle, the early signs were good for Williams, as it was during her previous victories at the tournament.

Serving first, she signalled her intentions when she fired down an ace to take the opening game.

The American was a picture of steely intent, showing none of the lapses in concentration that forced her to fight back from a set down twice in the tournament.

She drew first blood with a break in the second game when the serving woes that have dogged Sharapova's campaign continued and she double faulted twice to put the American ahead.

Williams punished Sharapova's tentative serve with sizzling returns and she stunned the Russian with another break to go up 4-0 after just 14 minutes,

Sharapova desperately sought a way back into the game and dug deep to take Williams to break point in the fifth game, only for her opponent to ease back on the throttle and bamboozle her with a looping drop shot and take the game.

The shell-shocked Russian accidentally hit a ball directly at her opponent in the next, when she finally managed to defend her serve, but only managed to fire up Williams further.

Williams served out the set after 26 minutes and Sharapova's woes continued when she double faulted to open the second.

The American continued to dominate the world number one, breaking Sharapova in the first game then holding her own serve with an ace.

Any doubts about her fitness were quickly dispelled as she leapt around the court, changing directions to reach return and charging to the net.

It was 10 games and 43 minutes into the match before Sharapova served an ace and less than 50 percent of her first serves were successful.

She clung on to defend her serve twice in the second set but could do little against the Williams onslaught, muttering "too good" to herself after another rocket-powered return from her opponent.

Williams served out the match and dropped to the ground in relief then bowed to the cheering crowd after one of the most lopsided finals in recent memory.

2007-01-17T11:21:00.000-08:00

Fashion icon Sharapova to reveal new outfit

The 19-year-old world number two earned an estimated 22 million dollars in endorsements last year, including the promotion of fashion products, and is a regular magazine covergirl, contracted to IMG Models since 2003

What she wears is watched as closely as how she plays.

Last year she set the Open on fire with her power blue baby doll nightie look, which became a must-have fashion accessory, and she said more was in store this week.

"Fashion-wise, I'm not doing baby doll any more. Baby doll has gone out the window," she said.

Asked what she had planned, she said: "It's a pretty classy dress. It's like a lemon chiffon colour.

"Bottom of the dress, it's like a little high waisted. I tend to pay a lot of attention to detail.

"There's a little corset detail in the back, there's a bow. My warm-up (outfit) is also really cute. You got to see it."

Earlier this month Sharapova denied she was better known for her looks than her tennis, pointing to her two Grand Slams.

"I'm happy with the way my career is going at the moment," she said. "I'm working hard on my game and I can hardly say that for the modelling.

"I have won two Slam tournaments -- I think it's all a matter of perception and opinion. I have been a tennis player since I was four years old."

Another to watch in the fashion stakes this week will be Serena Williams, known for taking on-court fashion to places others fear to tread.

At the 2002 US Open she sported a now infamous black lycra catsuit, while at the Australian Open in 2005 she unveiled a lime-green and white costume that included knee-high spaceboots with a detachable leg section that could be removed before play commenced.

Last year she confined herself to a mint-green pleated skirt and regulation-issue tanktop.

2007-01-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

Maria on this months Teen Vogue Cover

Check out TeenVogue.com for an exclusive video of Maria behind the scenes at the TeenVogue cover shoot.

Click here to view the footage

And it's getting even better. Once you subscripe to Teen Vogue this month, you will receive a free, signed poster of Maria. Purchase now at http://www.teenvogue.com !

2007-01-05T09:46:00.000-08:00

A Website to track Maria’s New Year Resolutions

In a new campaign to get people working out (as well as buy shoes), Nike has launched NikePlus.com, a new website that will track runners' New Year’s resolutions and challenges from friends. If they fail to keep their commitment, selected runners will face consequences and have to do weird things that their friends decided they will do before hand. But the big push here is from LeBron James and tennis star Maria Sharapova.

During the month of January, the two athletes will try to run more miles than the other. If Sharapova loses, she will have to sit behind James during a game and be his water girl. If James loses, however, he will have to be a ball boy at one Sharapova’s matches. The contest ends on January 31 and you can track their progress at NikePlus.com.

2007-01-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

Top Ten things Maria is not good at--

1. Cooking, actually I can make cookies and they are good! but that's about where it ends.

2. Sprints, the fact that I hate them doesn't really help me!

3. Hiding my emotions

4. Icing! trainers would know what I'm talking about

5. Saying no when it comes to buying shoes

6. Packing less, simply doesn't exist in my vocabulary

7. Following someone's directions, cause they make way too many mistakes, no excuses though

8. Figuring out electronics, why can't things be easy to operate?

9. Saying 'you're right'

10. Being patient, fine i'll work on it!

2006-12-26T12:23:00.000-08:00

Top Ten things Maria is good at--

1. Packing - lots of experience helps.

2. Manipulating people - at least I try haha

3. Spying - I should have been Sherlock Holmes but whimped out at the last second.

4. Stealing food from Mike's plate - that's cause he eats a lot of burgers

5. saying 'no'- esp to my agent.

6. Coming up with excuses - oh this is soo fun!

7. Being creative especially when it comes to design.

8. Being on time.

9. Making my friends laugh.

10. Singing - I can sing Cher really well.

Whirlpool Player Of the Year

2006-11-10T09:02:00.001-08:00

Maria Sharapova has been named the second annual winner of the Whirlpool 6th sense Player of the Year, announced Thursday at the season-ending 2006 Sony Ericsson Championships.

The award, which honors the player who has demonstrated the most 6th sense intuition over the course of the year, was presented to Sharapova by Dino Olivetti, brand director of Whirlpool Europe.

Click read more to view the video

Maria was one of the three world's top players short-listed for the award via an online competition organised by Whirlpool, Premier Sponsor of the Tour.

The three finalists chosen were Martina Hingis, Maria Sharapova and Amélie Mauresmo. From the finalists, Maria was chosen to receive the Award by an expert panel and the online voters from across Europe. The panel consisted of former World No. 1 and 14 time Grand Slam title winner – Arantxa Sanchez; Co-President of the International Tennis Writers

"I'm thrilled to have won the Whirlpool 6th sense Player of the Year award for 2006," Sharapova said. "It completes a great year for me and it is an honor to win such an award against the world's best players. The significance of intuition in my game is that I try to anticipate my opponent so I can react faster and with greater precision. As the game gets faster and the competition stronger, intuition becomes even more important."

"Maria has had a fantastic season and I am delighted that our consumers across Europe along with the judging panel have recognized her outstanding abilities," said Giuseppe Perucchetti, vice president of brand marketing at Whirlpool Europe.

2006-11-08T09:06:00.000-08:00

Russia's Sharapova set to make Fed Cup debut in April

Maria Sharapova will make her long-awaited Fed Cup debut for Russia against Spain in their World Group first-round tie in April, Russia's tennis chief said on Tuesday.

The U.S. Open champion will be joined by Nadia Petrova, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva, forming a powerful Russian line-up for the two-day tie in Moscow on April 21-22.

"Yes, all four of our girls have agreed to play against Spain," president of the Russian tennis federation Shamil Tarpishchev, who is also their Fed Cup captain, told Reuters.

"Of course, anything can happen between now and next April but barring any injuries, they all will be in the team."

All four Russians are now in Madrid, taking part in the season-ending WTA Championships, which began on Tuesday.

World number two Sharapova is riding on a three-tournament winning streak after her triumphs at the U.S. Open, Linz and Zurich and has a good chance of clinching the number one spot.

There have always been doubts in the Russian media over whether Sharapova would ever play for her country, but the Florida-based teenager made herself available for Russia's Fed Cup team last month.

"I'm really excited to make my first appearance in the Fed Cup for my country and it is great to be playing the tie in Moscow," the 19-year-old said on her Web site.

"Hopefully, myself and the team will put up a strong showing against Spain, who have a good team."

Kuznetsova, Petrova and Dementieva are all in the world's top eight, occupying the fourth, fifth and eighth spots respectively.

Russia will try to regain the Fed Cup title they won in 2004 and 2005. This year they lost to Belgium in the quarter-finals.

Maria Sharapova - CNN Interview

2006-11-02T08:46:00.001-08:00

2006-11-02T08:38:00.000-08:00

Sharapova beats Petrova to win Generali

Maria Sharapova claimed her fifth title this year at the Linz Open when she beat holder and number two seed Nadia Petrova 7-5 6-2 in Sunday's all-Russian final.
She added to her wins at the U.S. Open, Indian Wells, San Diego and Zurich and by reaching the final guaranteed she would overtake Justine Henin-Hardenne as world number two on Monday.

Sharapova was forced to save two set points in the first set, but she held serve and then broke Petrova before serving out.

In the second set, Petrova, the defending champion, had few chances to break against Sharapova's strong serve.

Top-seeded Sharapova, who now has 15 career titles, is also in contention with the Belgian and Amelie Mauresmo of France to finish the season at number one, a position she last held on Oct. 23 2005.

2006-10-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

Maria through to another semis

Maria Sharapova reached her 12th semifinal of the season by beating fifth-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 7-6 7-5 at the Generali Ladies championship in Linz on Friday.

The top-seeded Russian missed three set points while serving at 5-4 in the first and when she led 5-2 in the second set, double-faulted twice while serving for the match and was broken.

"I didn't know Ana's game too well as we had never met before, but she played some amazing tennis," Sharapova said.

"I shouldn't have let her come back in the second set. I hope to learn from that."

Sharapova will next play third-seeded Patty Schnyder or Vera Zvonareva.

2006-10-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

Battling Sharapova in Zurich finals

US Open champion Maria Sharapova had to battle hard for a 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 victory over unseeded Katarina Srebotnik to reach the final of the Zurich Open.

Waiting for her in Sunday's showdown will be the winner of the other semi-final between fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova and Slovak Daniela Hantuchova.

Srebotnik provided dogged resistance, and neither player faced a break point until 4-4, when the Slovenian played a poor game and surrendered her serve to love with a netted forehand.
But Sharapova failed to capitalise, dropping her own serve to love with a succession of errors, and she then had to fight off a set point at 6-5 with an ace.

Sharapova always looked the more comfortable player in the tiebreak, securing it with her sixth ace, and she then took a 2-0 lead in the second set against a disappointed opponent.

But Srebotnik quickly recovered her composure, and a Sharapova double-fault followed by a backhand error earned her the break back at 3-1.

Sharapova received a warning for coaching after dropping serve, but she responded by taking control of the rallies and winning the final three games, breaking for 4-2 and the match by forcing backhand errors.

2006-09-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

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

2006-09-10T01:29:00.001-07:00

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

2006-09-03T10:19:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-09-02T01:57:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-09-02T01:49:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-08-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

Sharapova defeated Safina to reach the Semi-Finals of the WTA Tournament

Top-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova avenged a French Open fourth-round defeat with a straight-set win over compatriot Dinara Safina to reach the semi-finals of the 600,000-dollar WTA tournament.

Sharapova, seeking to keep the momentum going after her WTA triumph in San Diego last week, defeated the fifth-seeded Safina 6-2, 6-4, saving two break points in the final game before firing a service winner on match point.

She set up a meeting with another fellow Russian, third-seeded Elena Dementieva, who survived 14 double faults to beat US wildcard Bethanie Mattek 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Sharapova owns a 5-1 record over Dementieva, including a triumph in the Indian Wells final in March and a quarter-final victory at Wimbledon.

Dementieva admitted she would have her work cut out in the semi-finals. "She's very focused," Dementieva said of Sharapova. "It's all about her concentration. She plays every ball like it's the last one."

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams also reached the final four, rallying for a 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-4 victory over fellow American Meghann Shaughnessy.

Williams will meet Jelena Jankovic, who beat fellow Serbian Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 7-6 (8/6).

Sharapova, who had let slip a 5-1 third-set lead against Safina at Roland Garros in June, has now reached the final four without dropping a set.

In contrast Williams, playing just her third tournament of a season that included a six-month injury layoff, had to rally after losing the opening set for the second match in a row.

She was helped by twelve aces, which were countered by just one double fault. "What's working right now is my serve," said Williams, who took her lengthy injury layoff after an early exit at the Australian Open, and returned in
Cincinnati last month.

"It really was steady today. I only hit one double fault today, that's how I used to play." But she was disappointed to have let the first set get away.

"I honestly should have won that first set," said Williams, who had three chances to break in the fourth game. "I missed a couple of easy shots, I let it slip away."

But she won the second with three breaks of serve, Shaughnessy double-faulting on Williams's third set point. Williams broke Shaughnessy to love in the eighth game of the third, but dropped her own serve for the first time all day when serving for the match in the ninth.

After saving one match point with an ace in the next game, Shaughnessy double-faulted on the next. Williams, who fell out of the top 100 for the first time since 1997 during her injury absence this year, said she was pleased with her continued progress.

"I'm still on a steady track up," said Williams, whose semi-final appearance should put her around 80 in the rankings released on Monday."

She admitted that she still felt some intermittent pain in her left knee, and she played with her left ankle taped after twisting it in a fall during her match on Thursday night.

Shaughnessy said she didn't see any reason Williams couldn't make it all the way back to the summit of the game.

"She moves great," Shaughnessy said. "When she was in her prime she was probably a little more match fit, but she obviously has the skill and ability to bring it back where she wants to be."

2006-08-09T01:31:00.000-07:00

Maria Sharapova defeats Kim Clijsters to win the Acura Classic

Maria Sharapova shocked top seed Kim Clijsters 7-5 7-5 to win the Acura Classic on Sunday.

In grabbing her first title on North American summer hard courts, Sharapova took down reigning U.S. Open champion Clijsters for the first time in five meetings.

"I hung in there during some amazing points in the second set," said the second-seeded Russian.

"I had lost to her four times in a row, so I thought this might be my lucky day. It's amazing to get the title," she said after the one hour 48-minute contest.

Clijsters, who has been contending with a sore back, was broken four times in the first set, but continued to claw at Sharapova.

The Belgian fought off her first set point at 3-5 in a marathon rally that saw her paste a forehand crosscourt winner.

Clijsters scrapped back to 5-5, but could not maintain her momentum as Sharapova easily held to 6-5, and then broke the Belgian to win the set when the world number two committed a forehand error.

Both women stepped up their level in the second set, but Clijsters could never find the rhythm that led her to the Stanford title last week.

Sharapova easily held to lead 6-5 before Clijsters completely lost her way, committing a slew of errors to face three match points.

Sharapova missed a backhand return on the first one, but on the second, she gunned a backhand that kissed the baseline.

"I fought and tried to go for it, but after long points, it was hard to refocus," said Clijsters, who had her 24-match winning streak on North American hard courts broken. "I didn't feel that fresh out there."

Clijsters said Sharapova's game had matured.

"She wasn't going for her shots as much," the Belgian said. "That's where she's improved. In the past, when her game wasn't on, she was still trying to go for it.

"Today, she mixed it up a little more. You see how a player grows up and that's great."

Sharapova agreed that she has improved her point construction.

"Against her, you know you have to be patient," she said. "She gets to a lot of balls and comes up with greats shots defensively. I tried to take that away from her."

2006-07-31T13:08:00.000-07:00

Injury-free Sharapova looks to strong Hardcourt season to move up rankings

Maria Sharapova says her ankle injury appears to have healed and she looks forward to a strong hardcourt season leading up to the U.S. Open in September.

On her itinerary is a stop at the Rogers Cup event Aug. 14-20 in Montreal, after tournaments in San Diego and Los Angeles. "I'm excited - I'm finally injury free," the 19-year-old Russian said on a conference call Thursday. "I had a good tournament at Wimbledon and then had a week off, and now I'm training for the U.S. Open series.

"Last year, I went into the U.S. Open with almost no matches. This year, I'm looking forward to building my game and my confidence going into the U.S. Open."

Sharapova has battled through a bone bruise in her right ankle for much of this season.

A year ago, she missed the Rogers Cup, a key pre-U.S. Open event, in Toronto with a back injury, but one week later, the vagaries of the WTA computer gave her a brief hold on the No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career.

She is now ranked No. 4, leading a pack of four Russians who are stuck behind the three women who have dominated women's tennis in the last two years - current No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo of France and Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne.

Since winning Wimbledon and becoming a tennis sensation as a 17-year-old in 2004, Sharapova has mostly stalled at the semifinals in grand slam events.

This year, she was beaten by Henin-Hardenne in the Australian Open semis and by Mauresmo in the Wimbledon semifinals, but she won a hardcourt tournament in March at Indian Wells - the 11th tournament victory of her career.

In no way does the lithe six-foot-two right-hander feel her career has stalled.

"I'm a work in progress," she said. "Just because I won a grand slam when I was 17 doesn't mean I'm going to get a win at every slam.

"I'm happy. I'm 19, and to be consistently in the top five in the world and getting to the semifinals of grand slams and coming close. . . I've played some really tough matches against Amelie, and Justine."

The Nyagin, Siberia native, who began training at the Nick Bollettieri tennis academy in Florida when she was nine, says her best tennis is still to come.

"I don't feel I'm at the peak of my career," she said. "I feel like there's so much work ahead of me that can make me better. I can't start worrying about the fact that I haven't won a grand slam since (2004).

"Experience has a lot to do with it. I'm playing girls who are 24 years old. They didn't win a grand slam when they were 17, but they're at the peak of their careers at 24 or 26."

Sharapova made her only appearance so far at the Rogers Cup in Montreal in 2004, losing in the third round to Russian Vera Zvonerova. Mauresmo has won the tournament the last two times it was in Montreal in 2002 and 2004.

This year, a WTA tour experiment will allow players to have their coaches with them on court during matches. Sharapova, who is coached by her father Yuri Sharapova and by Michael Joyce, doesn't see it making a big difference.

"I've always been a player who plays by instinct," she said. "I can't worry about what other people want me to do.

"You travel with a coach to help you with things. They scout the players and things like that. But on court, you don't worry about what you're going to do. You play your game."

2006-07-30T01:55:00.000-07:00

Sharapova makes eyes at Aston Martin

The only thing Russian tennis ace Maria Sharapova does faster than hit a tennis ball is drive. Even before she got her US driver's licence recently, the 19-year-old was all-too-familiar with the Florida highway patrol.

"I have been pulled over for speeding twice and both times the police officer asked me for my autograph and let me go. I am lucky," the world's highest-paid female athlete says, giggling. "I do like speed but I also like to be safe and I feel safest when I am behind the wheel of my Range Rover Sport. But I like to think of myself as a very good young driver.

"Because I travel so much, it took me forever to get my learner's permit. I could never find the time to take the tests. Finally, I was able to take the test and get my driver's licence. Getting that licence was ... freedom."

Before that Sharapova was carried to tennis training on her dad Yuri's bicycle. Now, worth tens of millions of dollars and sponsored by the likes of Land Rover, she has discovered an appetite for high-octane cars.

"A few months ago I was in Spain and I went on a car racing track that a friend owns. It was in one of those low race cars. It was pretty incredible," Sharapova says at a party held by Land Rover in London. Earlier she had unveiled the company's new Freelander 2 to the media. She is passionate about her four-wheel-drives, but her dream car, she says, is another piece of British car design. "The Aston Martin Vanquish is just hot," she says, before admitting she hasn't sat in one. "But I've seen one on the road and it's a good-looking piece of material... I'd love one.

2006-07-27T04:38:00.000-07:00

Age : 17 (April 19, 1987)
Birthplace : Nyagan, Russia
Current Residence: Florida, USA
Height: 6"0 (183 cm)
Weight: 130 lbs (59 kg)
Hair: Dirty Blonde
Eyes: Green
Turned Pro: 2001
Sponsors: Nike, Prince, Motorola,
TAG Heuer,Land Rover.

Maria is coached by her father Yuri Sharapov and Robert Lansdorp. Maria's mother's name is Yelena. Maria Sharapova started playting tennis when she was four years old, at six she participated in an exhibition match in Moscow that featured Martina Navratilova.Maria Sharapova began training at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida, USA, at age nine, which required a two-year separation from her mother due to visa restrictions and financial difficulties.Maria's interests include fashion, singing, dancing and going to the movies...Favorites include Mona Lisa Smile, Something's Gotta Giveand Love Actually. Maria also enjoys reading books within the Sherlock Holmes and Pippi Longstocking series. Maria likes Russian and Thai food. Maria's favorite dessert is French crepes with Nutella... Maria Sharapova's favorite drinks are orangina and virgin strawberry daiquiris. Maria Sharapova signed with IMG Models in November 2003.

After winning the 2004 WTA year ending championships Maria received a $1,000,000 as well as a Porsche Cayenne S. Following her 2004 Wimbledon win over Serena Williams she 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, featured in Inside

Edition, Access Hollywood and the WTA Magazine Show. Maria Sharapova became the first tennis player in more than two years to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated in a special double-issue on newstands for two weeks in July, 2004. Maria also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in Los Angeles. Maria was featured in the August 2004 Vogue Italia Magazine issue. Nominated for Laureus World Newcomer of the Year Award. In 2003 Maria Sharapova was 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 2002 Maria Sharapova 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.

After winning Wimbledon in 2004, Sharapova signed a one-year deal with Car company, Honda, but the deal was only in Japan.In November 2004, Sharapova signed a deal to represent Canon Inc. and promotes both their cameras and office products.In December 2004, she signed a deal with Swiss sports watch TAG Heuer to become their latest "sport and glamour" ambassador.Also in December 2004, Sharapova donated $10,000 to victims of earthquake and killer tsunamis in Thailand.In January 2005 she donated proceeds of an auct

ion for the Porsche car she won at the season-ending WTA Tour Championships of more than $50,000 to victims of the school seige in Beslan, Russia.In April 2005, she was listed by People Magazine as among the 50 most beautiful celebrities in the world.In June 2005, Forbes magazine listed Sharapova as the highest-paid female athlete in the world, with annual earnings of $18 million. A significant portion of this amount came from endorsements.In 2006, Maxim magazine named her the hottest athlete in the world.

In February 2006, she featured in a six-page bikini photoshoot spread in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue annual magazine which debuted on Valentine's Day, along with 25 other scantily-clad supermodels. Sharapova joined the ranks of other athletes who have previously appeared in the publication.In April 2006 Sharapova signed a three-year deal with Car company Land

Rover to endorse their vehicles that one source with knowledge of the deal said was worth approximately $2 million a year.In June 2006, Maria appeared in a commercial for ESPN's This is SportsCenter campaign. In the commercial, she is walking past Stuart Scott's desk when he stops her. He offers her a can of tennis balls he received from a supplier. She says that the can is filled with paper "worms" and that she doesn't want it. Stuart acts offended, causing Maria to feel bad. She obliges to take the can, opens it, and paper worms fly into her face. She angrily walks away and throws the can back at Stuart after he asks for it back. This commercial is a sequel to a similar one featuring Roger Federer.

Never one to stay quiet on court, perhaps one of the most unusual aspects of Sharapova's game is her trademark on-court "grunting", or "screaming". Quite possibly the loudest female screamer since Monica Seles, Sharapova's on-court grunts have been measured at 10

2.12 decibels — apparently as loud as a police siren. Sharapova claims that this is just part of her game and that only the British press give her a hard time about it. Elena Dementieva, Sharapova's opponent in the Wimbledon 2006 quarter-final, is the latest player to complain about the distraction it causes.Says what she enjoys most about being a professional tennis player is the travelling/getting to meet new people and see new cultures. Is good friends with fellow Russian tennis player Maria Kirilenko, despite not getting along with many of the other female Russian tennis players.Is affectionately called "Masha".Is currently single. (Stated by herself on Total Request Live).Is ambidextrous, and was undecided about which hand to use dominantly up until her professional tennis career began.

Awards

2003

WTA Newcomer of the Year

2004

WTA Player of the Year
WTA Most Improved Player of the Year
WTA Player Service

2005

ESPY Best Female Tennis Player
Named Russia's tennis federation as the country's best female player for the year
Awarded the honorary Master of Sports of Russia title

Achievements

2004 Singles Record: 55 - 15
2004 Singles Titles Won: 5 (Birmingham, Wimbledon, Seoul, Japan Open, Season Ending Championship)
2004 Prize Money: $2,506,263
2004 Porsche Race To The Championships Ranking: #5
2004 WTA Current Ranking: #4

Career Singles Record: 121-34
Career Singles Titles: 7 (2004; Birmingham, Wimbledon, Seoul, Japan Open, Season-Ending Championships, 2003; Japan Open, Quebec City)
Career Doubles Titles: 3 (2004; Birmingham, 2003; Japan Open, Luxembourg)
Career Prize Money: $ 2,752,068