Russians Maria Sharapova called the rising star of world tennis.
Journal of SPORT Magazine last year included it in the list of twenty-one athlete that will define the face of world sport in the twenty-first century. Specialists tipped Mary has a great future, but fans now go specifically for Sharapova, seeing it not only interesting tennis player, but also a very attractive girl. Many call it the new Kournikova and argue that the dormant until Masha charisma is not less powerful than Anna. Masha itself compared with Qurna, in the sense that ordinary people are investing here, a little embarrassing. She said that a lot of respect as a tennis player Anna as a person, but generally she would have liked to stay myself and to her no one compared. And the role of sex symbol of the future and it does not pretend. Masha Sharapovoy fifteen years.She is a child himself, peering curiously into the world, likes to read Sherlock Holmes and Pippi Longstocking, but along with this show is absolutely mature, professional attitude to the main case to date of her life - tennis.
Contact with Mary in Los Angeles managed only by phone. At first, she, her family and agent treated the request for an interview with suspicion. Apparently, the stereotype in relation to the Russian press has formed ambiguous. Eventually, the interview turned out very friendly and sincere. Masha hardly known in Russia. At the age of seven, she and her parents went to America, where he was to train hard. However, she started is still here.
- The first time I picked up a racket when I was four and a half years - says Maria. - It was in Sochi. I almost immediately liked to play tennis and I'm even on their own lot was at the net. Then I remember I always wanted to play on account of the interest.
- So you're a gambler? From his childhood? - Yes. And since my childhood loved to win. My first mentor was the coach Yuri Sochi Yutkin. He, in my opinion, and told Dad that from me have to get something that I have talent.
- Did you have a choice between tennis and other sport? - Actually, no. I've nothing else worked. Did not even try. Dad, I was addicted to tennis as an amateur. Sometimes, incidentally, was playing with his father Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
- When you play your first tournament? - I was 9 years old. It was already in America. But you know I'm special items do not even remember. Postponed, perhaps, just what any close friends in my time was not, so I only thought about tennis and how to win.
- How do you train in America as a child? - I went to Nick Bollettieri Academy and stayed there for five years. (By the way, Anna Kournikova, too long trained in the academy. - Comm. The author.) Training I was free. Most of the time I had a personal trainer or I played with someone one on one. I, frankly, it's all very much. Nick himself, by the way, personally helped me sometimes. He still does it when I come to Florida. We have a house there, and when I choose a home, I train with him.
- What can you say about the atmosphere at the academy? - You know, that's the atmosphere I was hard to handle, because there I lived alone, without parents. I was only nine years old and my roommate 15 - 16 years. Accounted for more focus on tennis, so it was not so lonely.
- How true opinion about the American high school tennis, primarily as a school with an emphasis in power, nekombinatsionny tennis? - Only partly. Indeed, the principle of strong beat, and then everything else is sometimes put in the first place.
- How do you feel about that? - To be honest, I did never before thought much. Although I myself love all: strong play from the baseline, go to the grid supply, attack, or conversely, to suffer for many practical jokes, etc. I probably prefer the versatile tennis.
- Can you break down, ruffle, winning you during the game? - No, no! (Laughs.) - It is difficult to do!
- Masha, tell us how you train now? Who is running? - In California, with me working fine specialist Robert Lansdorp. He also, incidentally, helps, and Anastasia Myskina. Last year I try a lot of attention paid to physical training - OPT. For me it is very important. You need to be stronger, but then I was too skinny!OPT I do with a specialist who previously worked with Chang, with Rusedski. But the competition is helping me Dad. He is always with me. Training regime is as follows: two hours from morning tennis, physical training during the day and night playing a match or sparring.
- What is your most significant achievement to date? - My first final of the Junior Tournament of the Grand Slam Australian Open in 2002. It was very pleasant. Maybe I'm wrong, but at fourteen to me that nobody did.
- How would you rate your own prospects? Could call their own pros and cons? - I now have a wonderful treatment, I was happy with everything I'm doing everything I need. Frankly, I do not want to think. Of course, enter into the elite of tennis - a dream of every player. But in the near future I would like to get into the main draw of Wimbledon and Roland Garros. Hope to play well the next few tournaments. Well, my cons? Yes, there are no really big minus. Very difficult to talk about it.
- How many tournaments you can now play in the adult tour and how this number matches your capabilities? - In April I turned 16 and I can play 10 tournaments in a season and an additional 4 Grand Slam "when hit. 1914 competition - quite enough for my age and for me personally. There are, however, some disadvantages: I can not play what I want, for example, in America. Instead, you must, for example, to fly to Japan.
- What, in your opinion, the adult tour differs from Junior? What is it, so to speak, struck first of all that was most difficult during the first adult tournament? - You know things are different, just about anything! Do not compare. For me, of course, the most difficult was the lack of experience. For example, virtually all participants of the tour are well aware of how to play the point when one account or another. Well, I am so just learn to play on the account: somewhere must be patient, and sometimes, conversely, to attack.
- Masha, do you have any idols in modern tennis? - There is not and never was. As a child, I very rarely watched tennis on television, and even when it has already started to train hard, still on it is not enough time. Yes, I know that plays well, for example, Steffi Graf, but never fond of studying its game technology.I've always been somehow by itself, and tried not to look at others. No, I am, of course, like someone hit on the right, someone left, someone is playing smart, thin, someone powerful, and so on, but no more.
- How do you feel about the fact that many observers have noted, not only your game, but also purely visual appeal? What it helps, what hinders? - Oh, I do not pay any attention to it.
They say that it is partly due to good looks Mary in the past year were invited to take part in games of World Team Tennis. WTT - it is an American tennis league match in which is following the NBA and NHL. Almost every state has at least one team collected from the stars of world tennis, have signed a contract with the league. Matches are played at home or on the road, but they represent rather a show than a purely sporting event, and very popular with tennis fans.
- Masha, what attracted you to the league, but the contract? Wondering whether to participate in such events? - Very interesting! When I was invited there, I did the first time in my life played for the team! Three weeks we traveled together, I really liked it when during the match I felt a command support. During this time I personally got a little more experience, which I was so lacking in the adult tour. For example, I played tennis players such as Alexander Stevenson, Amanda Kettser. I never played them before! .. And, of course, I like the fact that all these activities are furnished as a show - a very pleasant atmosphere, the atmosphere is joyful.
- Mary, what do you live apart from tennis? Study? - Yes, I study. In the American school on the Internet. I send books, I study them, and then the Internet as I hand over exams on the topics. Subjects are: English, mathematics, history and biology. Plus, with my mother teach French and Russian.
- Education and tennis do not interfere with each other? - No. It is also necessary for me personally, learning is no less important than tennis. I would like to study further, to do somewhere, but only after the end of a tennis career.Whatever I wanted to do? .. Perhaps it would be something related to fashion.
- What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Do you have friends? - Friends, of course, there is, but with our tennis mode is very difficult to maintain relationships. In my spare time I like to go shopping or cinema. The last thing watching - it's "Chicago." But in general I love comedy: you can laugh and forget it!
- Music, books, pets? - To be honest, I love Russian music: Zemfira, Tatu, Pugachev. From non-Russians - yes, too many. Jennifer Lopez, for example. Read too much. Now I'm reading two books at once: in Russian - "Hero of Our Time, Lermontov in English - Notes of Sherlock Holmes." Pets I do not. Although previously here was a hamster!
And Mary says that is constantly in contact with Russia. In Sochi, stayed home and grandparents. Dreams of whether to participate in the Kremlin Cup and team contests for the Fed Cup for Team Russia? Yes, probably. She would be a very interesting. But much later. So far, according to Mary, she does not think. The tasks it faces very different: to find its place in world tennis.
Inna Varyukhin "Sportclub" March 2002
