Maria Sharapova

Date of Birth: April 19, 1987
Birthplace: Russia
Residence: Bradenton, Florida, USA
Height: 6' (1.83 m)
Weight: 130 lbs. (59 kg)
Plays: Right-handed

Maria started hitting tennis balls at age four.
*At six, participated in exhibition in Moscow that featured Martina Navratilova
She is coached by her father and by Robert Lansdorp.
Aged nine, she began training at the Nick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. During the first two years, she was separated from her mother due to visa restrictions.
Maria is interested in fashion, singing, jazz dancing and movies.
She studies via an Internet school.
Maria enjoys reading books in the Sherlock Holmes and Pippi Longstocking series.
Her favorite food is Russian food.
Her favorite music is Russian music.
She signed with IMG Models in November 2003.
She was a finalist at the 2002 Junior Australian Open.

Tennis star Maria Sharapova of Russia was selected by GQ magazine as one of its 2004 Women of the Year. The editors of the magazine said that when they saw the Russian blond for the first time they thought she was just another copy of Anna Kournikova until they saw her play. In July, Sharapova won Wimbledon. In November, she became the world's first Russian winner of the WTA championships.

Maria Sharapova Photos