Maria Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987 in the small Siberian town of Nyagan, where her parents moved from Homel, fleeing from the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. Started playing tennis at 4,5 years, by the time her family has lived in Sochi. The first coach Yury Yudkin was Mary. He noticed little Masha, with an adult racket in hands-on training pope, a great lover of tennis, Yuri Sharapov. It is curious that his father was friends with Masha's father, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and that Eugene gave her first racket. "What struck me at once. At 4.5 years she was a child mentally healthy development. Masha absorbed everything I told her and showed them. All grasped on the fly. She mastered those attacks, which are still not clear to all. At 7 years already knew how to perform twisted flow and was a little master. You can not imagine that the life she's kind, gentle, smiling girl, but it's worth it to take up the racket, it - the beast! "Purposeful, not afraid of anybody, she was by all means must be defeated! "For three years our work is never said to me: I'm tired." - Recalls YV Yudkin.
In six years, Maria Sharapova had a chance to play with Martina Navratilova when she gave a master class in Moscow. Navratilova, making out the talent in young tennis player quite yet, it is strongly advised his father to give Masha a tennis academy of Nick Bollettieri, who is in Florida. Wise father of Mary, who always sought in every way to develop tennis talent of his daughter and, incidentally, now goes to her for most tournaments, heeded the advice of the great tennis player, and soon moved to America with Masha. Helped in moving and Tennis Federation of Russia. Mama Maria, Elena, was able to move to America until two years later when she received permission to travel. Yuri Sharapov has revised all the coaches in America and chose the best for her daughter - is Robert Lansdorp. He has trained such champions as Pete Sampras, Lindsay Davenport and Tracy Austin.
"Tennis - that's what it gets. Forget all that does not apply to tennis - posing for magazines and everything else. Yes, she is also doing, but I assure you, compared to tennis, she did not care. The fact that it succeeds on the court - for it is above all. Just look at once, as she trains. She never stands in the middle of the court and never spends too much time to workout. No, she always goes directly to the site and says: "Well, let's start , dammit! "She a fighter, and anyone in the academy, who plays with it in sparring, very quickly starts to look like a guinea pig." - Says Nick Bollettieri.
For adult tournaments held under the auspices of the International Tennis Federation, Maria Sharapova made her debut in 2001 - in Sarasota, where, however, lost in first round. But after a year in Columbus, not even being in the WTA rankings, won at the start of an opponent, then part number 300 of the best in the world.
In the season-2002 on account of its three titles were won by the tournaments ITF: the Japanese Gunma, Vancouver, Canada and the U.S. Peachtree City. In 2003, Sharapova became a regularly try their hand at major competitions. In January last qualified for the Open championship of Australia, in February stood at the WTA computer, even at 153-m site. In May, wins another ITF tournament in Sea Island (USA) - again, this time at Roland Garros, made its way through the qualification tournament for the main draw of the series "Grand Slam".
Next began a series of tournaments on grass - covering, which is obtained from Sharapova to play really nice. And in Birmingham, Mary "shot" for real - just beat the three "scattered" - Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy (5), Swiss Marie-Gayane Mikaelian (11) and Elena Dementieva (1), then in the semifinals on a tiebreaker in the third Sete lost to Shinobu Asagi Japanese woman. And then, having received a personal invitation from the organizers, Maria successfully performed at the Wimbledon tournament, entering the number sixteen of the best. In the second half of 2003 to Masha came the first major success, she managed to win two tournaments WTA - Tokyo and Quebec City. And to finish the year 32 th in the ranking of WTA. 16-year-old Maria Sharapova was named the best rookie of the year the Women's Tennis Association (WTA).
Since then, the career of Mary is on the rise. In early 2004, Mary burst into the top 20 most powerful women's tennis world. Reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. This was followed by unbeaten run on grass. First, Maria won the tournament in Birmingham in singles and doubles, and three weeks to translate into reality their dream. July 3, 2004 Maria won Wimbledon, confident, beautiful, and brazenly beaten in the final women's singles a double winner of this tournament, threatening an American Serena Williams!
Final match at Wimbledon against Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova started in no way betraying the natural in such cases, the excitement. Russian has won the first point on his serve, then another, then made a break and led 4:1. Continuing to operate with virtually no errors, Maria brought the party to defeat - 6:1. In the second game Williams Jr. managed to establish acceptance and get ahead - 4:2. It seemed that the more experienced American tennis player is about to make a final break in the meeting. And in this situation Masha showed a fantastic game. She quickly equalized, withstood tremendous stress in a protracted ninth game, and put the same point victory - 6:1, 6:4.
So Masha from budding, promising Nogo and talented players into a new bright star of world tennis. The success of Maria Sharapova at the courts of All England Lawn Tennis Club was not only her personal achievement, but also a great victory for the Russian women's tennis. After the first Russian tennis player to win Wimbledon! This victory allowed Masha become the 8 th World No..
After such a fantastic take-off followed by a natural decline. And at the U.S. Open Maria could not show my best game, losing in the third round Mary Pierce.
However, the brilliant performance of Mary at the end of the season inspired hope in the hearts of admirers of Maria Sharapova. Winning tournaments on hard in Seoul and Tokyo, Maria qualified for the final tournament of the year in Los Angeles. Defeated three Russians, Kuznetsova, Zvonareva and Myskina, Maria reached the final of this prestigious tournament. Like at Wimbledon, for the grand prize Masha had to fight with Serena Williams, it was the fifth match in six days. In the hardest fight, with a score of 4:6 6:2 6:4 Maria Sharapova once again defeated the former top-ranked and won the title World Champion 2004!
International Association of tennis journalists (ITWA) named the best female tennis player Maria Sharapova, 2004. Thus, Mary finished the season-2004 on a positive note, becoming the fourth World No. for the year and second racket of Russia.
In 2005, climbing to tennis throne continued. At the Australian Open Maria reached the semifinals and lost to a future winner - Serena Uiyalms, who managed to play three matchbola a Russian woman. After Melbourne Masha became the first racket of Russia. Tournament of the first category in Tokyo Toray Pan Pacific Open became the 8 th tournament, won by Maria Sharapova. And in the finale was defeated top-ranked - Lindsay Davenport. Title in Doha and a very successful performances at American tournaments, the first category in the Indian Uellse and Miami (semifinals and finals) allowed Mary still up in the rankings. April 4 Maria headed for the first time the title race WTA and 11 April, a week before the 18 th anniversary, Mary has become the second racket of the world! And held in Miami on the annual awards ceremony ATP and WTA player Maria Sharapova excel in three categories: Best female tennis player in 2004 according to WTA Tour "," Rookie "and" Audience Choice Award. " Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the tennis player with the majority, noted that millions of Russian fans are proud of her achievements and wish sportswoman new bright victories.
Compactor season-2005 Maria Sharapova had been more successful than the previous year. But add to the list of titles groundwater tournament again failed.
Everyone expected tournaments on grass. In Birmingham, Sharapova has confirmed the title and won the 10 th tournament of his career. Unfortunately, to win second victory at Wimbledon, Maria did not happen. She reached the semifinals and lost to an American Venus Williams. Thereby interrupting the unbeaten run on grass in 22 matches and having lost the title of the current champion. Interesting pattern - Masha again lost the Grand Slam winner of the future.
Maria Sharapova has become known. Forbes magazine has included Mary in the number of "100 most influential world-famous celebrities, and Mary was the only Russian woman on the list. In Los Angeles, Maria was awarded a prestigious U.S. award ESPY Awards for 2004. Russian has been recognized as the best tennis player the year according to ESPN.
The excellent results of Maria Sharapova in the last 52 weeks allowed to talk about first place in the ranking of WTA. Speaking in Los Angeles at the JPMorgan Chase Open tournament, Maria was a step away from the title of the first racket of the world. It was enough to beat in the quarterfinals Daniel Hantuhovu to beat Lindsay Davenport in the rankings. However, this match never took place. Because of the pectoral muscle injury (received last year at a tournament in Zurich) and colds, Maria was forced to withdraw from the tournament. But it took only a week and a new official WTA rankings for August 22 Maria Sharapova was the first place! Results for Mary WTA tournaments over the past 52 weeks were the best among all the tennis world: the 17 tournaments played after the US Open-2004, Sharapova won six tournaments, 2 times reaches the finals 6 times - to the semifinals and three times - to the quarterfinals. Masha was a 15-second tennis player (1975), who managed to lead the women's rating, as well as the first Russian in this honorable list.
Just a week Lindsay Davenport won the tournament in New Haven, ahead of Mary. Nevertheless, for the first time in the tournament from the Grand Slam, U.S. Open, Maria was "planted" on a 1-set tiebreak. At the US Open Masha reached the semifinals, again losing to the eventual champion - Kim Klaysters, in hard match - 2:6, 7:6 (4) 3:6. Maria Sharapova - the only one of the top three rankings, which reached the semifinal USO-2005, secured a separation from the other tennis players to 365 points and 12 September, returned to the first position ranking WTA.
Injuries continued to trouble Mary. In the semifinals of Beijing tournament Masha had to abandon the fight against a friend - Maria Kirilenko.
In the rank of top-ranked Maria flew to Moscow to play for the first time at the Kremlin Cup. This visit aroused great interest among journalists and the public. At the first press conference, Shamil Tarpishchev handed Maria Sharapova "Russian Cup" contest "Best Russian tennis player 2004-2005" and a certificate of conferring the title of "Honored Master of Sports of Russia." Unfortunately, the game to please their fans Masha did not happen. In the first dramatic match when Mary was losing to Anna-Lena Grenefeld, opponent got injured and refused to fight. The second match against Dinara Safina started more successfully, but eventually Mary lost in three sets.
October 24 Masha again dropped in the rankings, having been in total on the first line of 7 weeks. Because of concern to an injury she missed the tournament in Philadelphia, and only at the last moment still decided to play the final tournament in Los Angeles. Unexpectedly for many Masha beat top-ranked Lindsay Davenport and Patty Schnyder, showing good tennis, and left the group in the semifinals. The match against Amelie Mauresmo became the latest this year. "I could not properly apply, especially in the second set - say after the match, Maria. If not for injury, I could easily win, because most of the time controlled the game. In any case, I believe that next year, emerged for me more successfully. Mauresmo eventually won the tournament.
As with the previous year, 2005 is the Maria Sharapova has been on the 4 th place in the ranking of WTA. And during the Japanese tour, during which she spent several exhibition matches in December, Mary said: "The new season for me, the priority will be the lead in the ranking of WTA".
New 2006 year begins anxiously for Maria Sharapova and her fans. Aggravated at the end of last season's shoulder injury casts doubt on its involvement in the first tournament of the year Grand Slam. However, Maria decides to play at the Australian Open in Melbourne, despite the lack of competitive practices, reach the semi-finals, where the stubborn trehsetovom match inferior Justine Henin-Hardenne. Then Mary successfully played in tournaments in Tokyo and Dubai, reaching the semifinals and finals, and Indian Wells is gaining a very good shape.
Prestigious tournament Category I Pacific Life Open is the first Sharapova won the title in 2006 and 11 th of his career. On the way to the final, Maria takes revenge for defeat in Tokyo's famous Martina Hingis, in the final match defeated Elena Dementieva. And right after that repeats its last year's result at a major tournament in Miami - comes to the final. But the beautiful game opponent, Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final match and the accumulated fatigue of Mary does not allow her to win the second title in a row, and it yields in two sets.
Excellent performance at the spring tournament in the U.S. supplemented by the successes and outside the courts - Mary receives an award from the US Weekly Weekly as the most stylish dressing athlete.
Unfortunately, injuries again intervene in the schedule of appearances of Mary in the soil of the season - a problem with his foot forced her to miss almost all the tournaments until Roland Garros. Again suboptimal physical condition and lack of practice games at this difficult for Masha coverage does not allow her to successfully perform in France. In a dramatic match of the 4 th range is inferior to Dinara Safina, leading 5:1 in the decisive set.
The long-awaited season grass with which Mary always have special hopes, begins not so optimistic. At a tournament in Birmingham Masha suddenly gives way to Jamie Jackson in the semifinals, unable to confirm his title. A favorite on the courts at Wimbledon, as a year ago, stopped at the semi-final stage, where trehsetovom match yields a future winner of the tournament and top-ranked Amelie Mauresmo.
A month after Wimbledon Maria takes part in the tournament Category I Acura Classic in San Diego. Masha beats here Vera Zvonareva, Mary Pierce, Patty Schnyder and reach the final, where for the first time in career wins over Belgian Kim Klaysters (with a score of 7:5 7:5), and won his 12 th title! Next week, Sharapova serves again - this time on the courts of Los Angeles, on Category II tournament, and comes to the semifinals. High level of play demonstrated by the U.S. hard, and scored important victories led many experts to call Mary one of the main favorites of the upcoming U.S. Open.
To speak at the U.S. Open, the last Grand Slam in 2006, Maria is preparing specially. Being in good physical and psychological form, primarily due to the absence of health problems and good play in practice, it is confident the tournament begins in New York, and easily beats rivals in the first four rounds. Quarterfinal match against Tatiana Golovin is in a bitter struggle - both sets taybreykami end, but in both cases, the stronger is Mary - 7:6 (4) 7:6 (0). In the semifinals, Maria again meets Amelie Mauresmo, and this time wins a landslide victory over the Frenchwoman with a score of 6:0 4:6 6:0 not given to any game in the first and third sets to top-ranked. Then this game many call one of the best matches of the year in the WTA-tour.
September 10, 2006, something happened which Mary and her fans were waiting for two years - Sharapova wins second Grand Slam title in his career - U.S. Open. In two sets, demonstrating excellent tennis champion's confidence, Maria beats Henin-Hardenne - 6:4, 6:4! "This is absolutely unbelievable. I fell to my knees and thought about everything that has been invested in this tournament, this is a merit of my work since my childhood, which was made possible thanks to my amazing family," - say, after winning the 19-year-old champion.
In the rank of the current winner of the last Grand Slam tournament Maria Sharapova arrives in Moscow for Kremlin Cup. It was in Moscow, Maria plans to return to competition after winning the U.S. Open. But unfortunately, once again fails to please fans of beautiful Russian victories. Having only one lap, Mary is forced to withdraw from the tournament due to an unfortunate injury foot.
Masha from Russia is flying to Zurich for the tournament, I category. It seems that her game is far from perfect: Maria admits a lot of unforced errors and fatigue Masha visible to the naked eye. But she continues to win the match for the match, and finally defeated in the finals in a difficult fight Hantuhovu Daniel wins the tournament in Zurich! Immediately thereafter, Mary wins second tournament in a row - Generali Ladies Linz. 15 th title in a career!
