Maria Sharapova
Personal Profile
Maria Sharapova
Birth Name:
Maria Yuryevna SharapovaNickname:
Masha, The Siberian SirenDate of Birth:
April 19, 1987Zodiac Sign:
TaurusPlace of Birth:
Nyagan, Russian SFSR, Soviet UnionHeight:
6' 2"Weight:
59 KgsSex:
FemaleEye Color:
GreenNationality:
RussianEducation:
Keystone High SchoolLoves:
Fashion, Singing, Dancing, Going to the movies
Family
Maria Sharapova
Father:
Yuri SharapovMother:
Yelena Sharapov
Career
Maria Sharapova
Profession:
Tennis PlayerClaim to Fame:
Champion of Wimbledon 2004
Favourites
Maria Sharapova
Food:
Russian and Thai FoodActor:
-Actress:
-Movies:
Pearl HarborColor:
-Destination:
-Perfumes:
-Author:
Sherlock Holmes and Pippi Longstocking
Awards
Maria Sharapova
2003, Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Newcomer of the Year
2004, WTA Player of the Year
2004, WTA Most Improved Player of the Year
2005, ESPY Best Female Tennis Player
2005, Named the country's best female player for the year by Russia's tennis federation
2005, Master of Sports of Russia
2005, Prix de Citron Roland Garros
Trivia
Maria Sharapova
- Maria was offered a part in Desperate Housewives but declined, saying that she is not desperate and not a wife.
- Maria was seeded #4 at the 2006 Australian Open.
- She plays right handed.
- She plays with a 2 handed backhand.
- Maria was the 2004 women's Wimbledon champion, defeating two-time defending champion Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4.
- She was born in Siberia, Russia.
- She was raised in the United States since the age of seven.
- Her father Yuri brought her to the U.S. in 1994, but her mother Yelena didn't join them until two years later due to a problem gaining a visa.
- She was and still is ambidextrous and nearly became a left-handed tennis player instead of right-handed.
- She won the 2004 WTA Championship, defeating Serena Williams 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Quotes
Maria Sharapova
- “I thought I played really well, ... I was in control for most of the match.”
- “I'm very disappointed I am not able to continue my play in Philadelphia. I was having a really good tournament and I'm sure it will still be an exciting final weekend. I just wish I could be a part of it.”
- “It's good to finish the year with a win. But I didn't want to win like that.”
- “I now have two titles (singles and doubles) under my belt and it feels great, ... I think with these things, it is a matter of time. If you put in the hard work - and I have worked so hard - I think this week really showed and it paid off.”
- “I'm 17 years old and there are many great things ahead. If I don't win the U.S. Open this year, it's not going to be a disaster in my life.”
- “I think today I played much better, especially in the first set, than in my first match on Wednesday.”
- “I wasn't winning that match. She was doing the right things and I wasn't.”
- “That's not the way I like to win matches, but anything can happen in tennis.”
- “I know I didn't win this match fairly.”
- “I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous before the match, ... I knew she was a strong player. I wasn't myself on the court today.”
View all Quotes: Maria SharapovaBiography
Maria Sharapova
Last Updated: Thursday, November 26, 2009
"I couldn't have succeeded without [my parents]", Sharapova said, and she was right. She and her parents fled to Seberia to avoid the effects of Chernobyl. She and her father then emigrated to Florida when she was only 7. When Maria was 9, she was enrolled at Nick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy.
When Maria kept knocking thousands of balls in the baskets each day, coach Nick Bollettieri realized the potential talent in her. Maria never just wanted to practice drills, she always wanted to play points against both girls and boys. She grew up tall, beautiful, and talented. Although she signed a contract with a model company, she wanted people to remember her by her talent, not by her beauty.
On July 3rd, 2004, she defeated #1 seed Serena Williams in the Wimbledon and in front of the entire world. She hugged her trophy and her father, knowing that she would never be there if it wasn't for her parents.