Maria Sharapova

Maria Yuryevna Sharapova is a former World No. 1 Russian professional tennis player and three time Grand Slam singles champion. As of May 3, 2010, she is ranked World No. 13.

When Sharapova was six, she and her father moved from Russia to the United States, to enroll her in the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. After rising rapidly through the junior and professional ranks in the years that followed, Sharapova won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2004 at the age of 17. In the two years that followed, Sharapova won eight titles on the WTA Tour and had two brief stints as the World No. 1. However, she lost all five Grand Slam semifinals she played during this period. She ultimately won her second Grand Slam title at the 2006 US Open.

Sharapova's public profile extends beyond tennis. She has been featured in a number of modeling assignments, including a feature in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Sharapova was the most searched-for athlete on Yahoo! in both 2005 and 2008.Since February 2007, she has been a United Nations Development Project Goodwill Ambassador, concerned specifically with the Chernobyl Recovery and Development Programme.

Career statistics and awards

2003
* Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Newcomer of the Year

2004
* WTA Player of the Year
* WTA Most Improved Player of the Year

2005
* ESPY Best Female Tennis Player
* Named the country's best female player for the year by Russia's tennis federation
* Master of Sports of Russia
* Prix de Citron Roland Garros

2006
* Named the country's best female player for the year by Russia's tennis federation
* Whirlpool 6th Sense Player of the Year

2007
* ESPY Best Female Tennis Player
* ESPY Best International Female Athlete
* ESPN Hottest Female Athlete

2008
* Named the January 2008 female Athlete of the Month by the United States Sports Academy for her performance at the Australian Open
* ESPY Best Female Tennis Player









Personal information
Country : Russia
Residence : Bradenton, Florida, USA
Date of birth : April 19, 1987 (1987-04-19)
Place of birth : Nyagan, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height : 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight : 59 kilograms (130 lb)
Turned pro : April 19, 2001
Plays : Right-handed; two-handed backhand
Career prize money : US$13,164,839

Singles
Career record : 342–81 (81.0%)
Career titles : 21 WTA
Highest ranking : No. 1 (August 22, 2005)
Current ranking : No. 13 (May 17, 2010)

Grand Slam results
Australian Open : W (2008)
French Open : SF (2007)
Wimbledon : W (2004)
US Open : W (2006)

Major tournaments
WTA Championships : W (2004)

Doubles
Career record :23–17
Career titles : 3
Highest ranking : No. 41 (June 14, 2004)
Australian Open : 2R (2003, 2004)
US Open :2R (2003)