maria sharapova biography

Birth Name

Mariya Yurevna Sharapova

Nickname

Masha
The Siberian Siren

Height

6' 2" (1.88 m)

Mini Biography

Maria started hitting tennis balls at the age of four. At the age of six, Maria Sharapova participated in a exhibition in Moscow that featured Martina Navratilova. So, at the age of nine, she began training at Nick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy located in Bradenton, Florida, USA. Therefore, during those two years, she was separated from her mother for two year due to visa restrictions and finances. Maria occasionally travels with her father and works with tennis coach managers Michael Baroch and Robert Lansdorp. During her leisure time off court, Maria's interest includes modeling in fashion, singing, jazz dancing and movies (Pearl Harbor (2001)). Maria enjoys reading books of her interest in the "Sherlock Holmes" and "Pippi Longstocking" collection series. Basically, Maria's favorite dessert is 'anything'. Maria favors Russian music and food, but except for Italian bread.

IMDb Mini Biography By: victorjr85@yahoo.com

Trade Mark

Plays right -handed

2 handed backhand

Grunts loudly when striking the ball

Trivia

2004 women's Wimbledon champion. Defeated two-time defending champion Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4.

Born in Siberia, Russia, and raised in the United States since age seven. Father Yuri brought her to the U.S. in 1994, but mother Yelena didn't join them until two years later due to visa problems.

She was (and still is) so ambidextrous that she almost became a left-handed tennis player.

She won the 2004 WTA Championships, defeating Serena Williams 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the final to pocket one million dollars and win a new Porsche Cayenne to donate to a charity of her choice.

Her loudest grunt was measured at 101.2 decibels (louder than a motorcycle or a lawnmower) on 21 June 2005 at Wimbledon Centre Court. Previously the loudest grunt was by Monica Seles at 93.2 decibels.

According to the LA Times and Orange County Register, Maria said at a press conference she has grown a few cm this year and is now 6' 2". She's been having back pains and has had to pull out of some tournaments due to the pain which she thinks is from a growth spurt.

Became number 1 in the world in August 2005 & is the first Russian player to become the best player in the world

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