Maria Sharapova

(Yurievna Maria Sharapova, Nyagan, 1987) Russian tennis player, one of the most glamorous champions and international circuit cache. Maria Sharapova was born in a small town in Siberian Russia, in a humble family. His parents, Yuri and Yelena, a construction worker and secretary, respectively, were from Belarus, but in 1986 moved from Gomel to Nyagan, to prevent the accident Chornobil Yelena affect pregnancy.

Maria Sharapova

Sharapova In 1990 the family settled in the resort of Sochi, on the Black Sea, where one day the little coincided with the Russian champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov nineties, who gave her a racket. He started playing with his father and with girls twice her age, until in 1993, in a youth tournament in Moscow, was observed by Martina Navratilova, who recommended parents to bet it all for her.

With some trepidation but animated by the conviction of the best tennis player ever, Yuri, with $ 700 he had saved, he went with his daughter to Bradenton, in the U.S. state of Florida, where Mary joined the boarding school of the prestigious coach Nick Bollettieri, who had forged the best champions and champions of the last decade. The school, part of the huge company IMG, dedicated to sports management, was very expensive, so the father had to pluriemplearse to repay the money owed to the company.

In 1996, Maria had already with the company of his mother, who had taken two years to get a visa to move to the United States. From that moment her daughter educated person, who had never been to school. Then became the manager of their earnings, while her husband was devoted only to his tennis career.

The father, in fact, stayed in the shade and never gave interviews because some media accused him of pressuring her daughter. In this regard, in the only interview he managed to reporters in Manhattan, where Maria celebrated their success at the U.S. Open, was dispatched at ease and concluded: "People think I'm a monster, I'm behind her pressing and thinking only in money. But the truth is that I do not know how their finances. "

Both father and daughter were in a hurry to make money and write off, so in 2001 Mary, at fourteen, participated in the junior circuit, where only lost three games, won 25 and won three titles: Sacramento, Hilton and Heady Pilsen in the Czech Republic.

In 2002, even as a junior, Maria Sharapova won 26 wins, three losses and as many titles: Vancouver, Peachtree and Gunma (Japan). That year and was allowed to play a professional match absolute and Women's Tennis Association (WTA) the number stood at 186 in the ranking, but he had already signed contracts with several firms succulent, not just sports. At that age equaled Kournikova as sexiest tennis player, because a teenager, due to its constitution (1.86 m and 58 kg) appeared as an older girl. The September 29, 2003 he won his first pro tournament in Tokyo absolute. The following month, on October 27, was awarded the Quebec, what clinched in just a few months a number 30 ranking.

The June 21, 2004 gave the first surprise, for just over seventeen he became the second youngest player to win Wimbledon, after ejaculation also Martina Hingis, who won in 1997 at age sixteen. It was also the first Russian maturing in this grand slam tournament. Major sponsors were already behind it, because the world was globalized orphan of a female icon. Had signed with her even without winning the final against Serena Williams the then undisputed.

The mother took the breeding ground and daughter became the highest-earning player thanks to its contracts with Nike sportswear, racquets Speedminton, perfumes Parlux (born after one personal perfume), Motorola phones, watches TAG Heuer, Honda vehicles, Colgate-Palmolive products, rackets Prince ... catwalks and fashion shows or photo sessions for the press. All the political and business world wanted a photo with her, not just fans.

 

That 2004 season won four tournaments: Birmingham (June 7), Seoul (September 27), Tokyo (October 4) and ended the year with a comfortable win tennis in the WTA Championship in Los Angeles, to Serena Williams. His projection was undeniable, but in 2005 suffered a slowdown, due perhaps to its conformity or advertising commitments. Still, he won three titles: Tokyo before the former world number one Lindsay Davenport (February 6), Doha in Qatar (the 21st of the same month) and Birmingham against emerging Yelena Jankovic (June 6).

In 2006, two years before a grand slam title eluded him, because he was facing players in the sweetest moment of his career. I did not want to become a clone of Kournikova, although it had never won a title. This comparison was terrified. Some media have not tired of reiterate, despite the March 10 won the Indian Wells final against Elena Dementieva remarkable and June 31 the number one moment Kim Clijsters in the tournament San Diego.

At last nineteen years, the September 10, 2006, reached the final of the U.S. Open. Jumped the track in a black dress Nike but inspired by actress Audrey Hepburn and all its accessories at the right place. Opposite, Justine Henin-Hardenne, that if he won stood at the top of the ranking. But Mary, who in recent weeks had defeated the two players that preceded ranking alongside Henin (Clijsters and Amelie Mauresmo), got rid of his opponent by a convincing 6-4, 6-4. She hugged her father and then the young man who accompanied him, Michael Joyce, who trains daily. The win was ranked third in the world and became the second Russian, after Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2004, the track was crowned Arthur Ashe.

The players have identical charge insistently claimed remuneration for men tournament competing in the circuit of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), but have not succeeded. However, since he burst onto the tracks Russia's Anna Kournikova, the graceful and slender players found a reef in advertising or on the runway, they reported higher incomes than awards for his success in tournaments. Kournikova was unveiled at sixteen. It pointed very good manners, but immediately left by the tide absorb money that granted sports brands, exclusive interviews or her stormy love life.

His compatriot Maria Sharapova had the same attraction, but, unlike his compatriot, did not forget to train hard and win titles. It was only for the moment, he could boast greater income than most male elite tennis players. Its appeal to trademarks and the media had grown even their professional successes. Just win Wimbledon, in 1994, global scope brands offered blank checks. At that time the exact numbers were unknown, but in 2006 the prestigious magazine Sports Illustrated published a list of richest athletes. In tennis, Sharapova appeared first with annual revenues of nearly 20 million, which exceeded two million men then undisputed world number one, Roger Federer.

Moreover, the Russian tennis player was on the fourth non-American athletes of different disciplines, ahead even two media players or "galactic" as David Beckham or Ronaldo. In this section "European" only surpassed, in this order, the German driver Michael Schumacher Formula 1, the Italian rider Valentino Rossi and Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho. And if we include the great stars of golf, baseball or American football, Sharapova held the thirteenth place.