Guide Note

Maria Sharapova is one of top rated women's professional tennis players in the world. She has won 3 grand slam career singles titles, with her most recent championship coming in the 2008 Australian Open.

Fast Facts

1. Born: April 19, 1987
2. Birthplace: Nyagan, Russia
3. Height: 6'2"
4. Weight: 130 lbs.
5. Career WTA Tour Titles: 19
6. Grand Slam Titles: 3
7. Wimbledon Title: 2004
8. U.S. Open Title: 2006
9. Australian Open Title: 2008
10. Spokesperson for the Canon PowerShot

Sharapova began hitting tennis balls at age 4, and by age 9 had relocated as a student at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Her two-fisted backhand style has been incorporated nicely into her powerful game. She won her first professional tournament in September 2003 at the Japan Open in Tokyo. Sharapova had only reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam once prior to her winning Wimbledon in 2004. Two years later, she silenced critics who thought that win was a fluke by winning the U.S. Open in 2006. She reached the finals of the 2007 Australian Open before losing to Serena Williams, but bounced back by winning the tournament in 2008. As of 2008, she had only failed to win one Grand Slam tournament, the French Open, where her best finish was the semifinals in 2007.

In addition to her tennis prowess, Sharapova is considered to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. She is a spokesperson for the Canon PowerShot line of cameras, as well as for Gatorade, Nike, Tag Heuer, Sony Ericsson, and Tiffany & Comapny. Additionally, Sharapova has appeared in the 2005 People Magazine 50 Most Beautiful Celebrities edition, and in the 2006 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Sharapova is also very active in raising money for many charitable causes, and in 2007 was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations Development Programme.

Maria Kirilenko | Andy Roddick | Roger Federer | Anna Kournikova | Amelie Mauresmo | Serena Williams | Venus Williams | Rafael Nadal | Martina Hingis | Anna Chakvetadze