Maria Sharapova donates 10,000 dollars to Thai quake victims

Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova, due to play an exhibition match in Thailand against Venus Williams, will donate 10,000 dollars to help victims of the killer tsunamis that hit the kingdom, a minister said. Deputy Prime Minister and tennis association head Suwat Liptapanlop said the Russian starlet, scheduled to arrive in Bangkok late Wednesday, had notified him about her generosity.
"She informed us that she wanted to donate 10,000 dollars of her own money to the government's victim relief fund," Suwat told AFP.

"She informed us that she wanted to donate 10,000 dollars of her own money to the government's victim relief fund," Suwat told AFP. The fund, launched on Tuesday, had already received donations amounting to 108 million baht (2.77 million dollars), according to media reports. Although a gala dinner to be held for Sharapova and Williams would be cancelled out of respect for the unprecedented loss of life, the match scheduled for January 2 in the northern city of Chiang Mai was due to go ahead.

Star duo are set to appear

Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams have confirmed they will still visit the Kingdom to play an exhibition match despite the current crisis in the south. Russian Sharapova will arrive in Bangkok tonight while Williams will arrive tomorrow.The pair will then play in the TAT Tennis Invitational 2005 in Chiang Mai on January 2. The Deputy Prime Minister and the president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT), Mr Suwat Liptapanlop said the highly-anticipated game will go ahead as planned on the Chiang Mai 700th Anniversary tennis court. ''We have been talking with the IMG, the agency of the two players in America,'' explained Suwat.''Both players are aware of the situation in the south and are very saddened by what has happened.''

Owing to the tragedy in the south, all official New Year promotion parties concerning this event have been cancelled as a mark of respect.''We hope the arrival of Maria and Venus will help the tourist situation with regards to foreigners because they will be able to see that there are many unaffected areas still to visit,'' Suwat said.

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Motorola's MS330 Maria Sharapova Phone

The phone is part of a marketing agreement between Maria Sharapova and Motorola that was forged after the newly crowned Wimbledon champ was seen by millions calling her mother after the championship victory. The MS330 was the phone that was designed for her and provided to her while she was in Korea, where she is a huge star.

Sharapova won't give Aussies much to see

Forgive the folks Down Under for feeling a bit left out. News that Maria Sharapova will play only the Australian Open and no other tournaments on the country's summer circuit cannot be considered good for fans and/or promoters.
Because Maria does not turn 18 until April 19, she still is subject to WTA rules that limit her to 22 events. She already has played in 15 and is looking for larger tournaments to post as many points as possible to try to rise in the rankings.

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There had been speculation the Wimbledon winner might enter the Medibank Private Internation (Jan. 9-15) in Sydney where nine of the top 12 ranked women are to compete in the last tourney before the Aussie Open. "Just didn't fit into her schedule,'' Sharapova's agent Max Eisenbud told Australian media. Instead, Maria will play an exhibition in Hong Kong the first week in January and practice in Melbourne the next.

AUSTRALIA will be the battleground next month for the civil war of Russian tennis :)))

The temperature will be as chilly as a Moscow winter in the corridors of Melbourne Park when Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova and her entourage, including her controversial father Yuri, come across the other players responsible for the Russian revolution in women's tennis. It will be Maria's first tournament since Grand Slam winners Anastasia Myskina and Svetlana Kuznetsova lent a clear voice in the past month to murmurings of discontent about their distant relationship with the game's marketable new superstar, the 17-year-old Sharapova.

After a few years in which women had to be either a Williams or a Belgian to win a major title, the effect of three different Russians winning the last three majors of 2004 was like three belts of vodka on a cold night. French Open winner Myskina, surprisingly chosen last week as the ITF female world champion for 2004, said she would not play for Russia's Fed Cup team next year if Sharapova plays. This is because Sharapova's father Yuri Sharapov, an abrasive figure in his daughter's rise to celebrity and a world No. 4 ranking, is "simply rude", according to Myskina.
Kuznetsova, a bolter US Open winner, told an interviewer Sharapova was the most popular Russian player. "But I don't know if you would call her Russian though," she said earlier this month. Russian Fed Cup captain Shamil Tarpishchev has said he will advocate Sharapova's inclusion next year, leaving Myskina, who won two singles matches in her country's Fed Cup final victory, in a dilemma on whether to back down. "I don't know if we are going to have the same camaraderie in this team in future," Kuznetsova said. But Sharapova's budding celebrity, driven by corporate desire to link their business to her good looks and her remarkable Siberia-to-Wimbledon success story, means there will be very few in tennis willing to say no to her.

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Thailand awaiting Maria

The secretary general of the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT), Adm Bannawit Kengrieng, is confident the arrival of tennis superstars Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams will provide a welcome boost to budding players in the Kingdom.

``Maria Sharapova is a good looking woman and she can set a good example for Thai youngsters,'' said Adm Bannawit.``This is because she became very successful in tennis when she was just 17-years-old. ``She has trained very hard and concentrated on her tennis and has won many major tournaments like Wimbledon and WTA Championship. ``I would like this visit to be the stimulation and push Thai youngsters to turn and play more tennis.''The winner of the tournament will be invited to Chiang Mai to watch the exhibition. Maria and Williams are set to arrive in Thailand tomorrow and Thursday respectively before playing an exhibition game in Chiang Mai in the New Year.The LTAT official offered his words of encouragment after attended the opening ceremony of a junior tournament at The Fifty Tennis Club.

The secretary general of the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT), Adm Bannawit Kengrieng, is confident the arrival of tennis superstars Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams will provide a welcome boost to budding players in the Kingdom.

``Maria Sharapova is a good looking woman and she can set a good example for Thai youngsters,'' said Adm Bannawit.``This is because she became very successful in tennis when she was just 17-years-old. ``She has trained very hard and concentrated on her tennis and has won many major tournaments like Wimbledon and WTA Championship. ``I would like this visit to be the stimulation and push Thai youngsters to turn and play more tennis.''The winner of the tournament will be invited to Chiang Mai to watch the exhibition. Maria and Williams are set to arrive in Thailand tomorrow and Thursday respectively before playing an exhibition game in Chiang Mai in the New Year.The LTAT official offered his words of encouragment after attended the opening ceremony of a junior tournament at The Fifty Tennis Club.

Maria Sharapova is too young :)

Maria Sharapova will be restricted to just one Australian summer circuit appearance -- the centenary Australian Open next month -- because of sport's age eligibility restrictions.The world No. 4 -- already a Wimbledon champion and winner of the elite Women's Tennis Association Championships -- cannot yet play a full schedule because she is still 17.

Maria Sharapova second

Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova was voted into second place with 36 points.
She pipped Swedish athlete Carolina Kluft and golfer Annika Sorenstam to the spot, leaving fellow Russian tennis player and French Open champion Anastasia Myskina out in the cold with just two points.

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Maria Sharapova

"We always thought it was just a matter of time before she would be chasing Grand Slam titles and the No. 1 ranking. Well, that time arrived last season.
She has the skills, weapons, and the motivation to get to the top after finishing last season ranked No. 4. In 2005, she will be definitely feeling more pressure because she is going back to tournaments where she is defending a lot of points, and opponents will be after her to get extra bonus points to get the win. I expect that all the attention being thrust on her won't affect her game. In my opinion, those on Team Sharapova are managing Maria's career very wisely, limiting media opportunities, and her endorsement deals. They are managing Maria's time so she does not become diverted from her tennis. Maria's first and foremost goal is to be No. 1 in the world, and with a solid game plan in place, she could reach that goal in 2005 ..."

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Sharapova can keep a secret

There was a fair share of hot air at a Florida fund-raiser for hurricane victims.
Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova was the main attraction.
"I just tried to keep the crowd entertained,'' said Sharapova, who defeated Angela Hayes 6-2, 6-1 as part of the event Saturday in Tampa.

As did former No. 1 men's player Jim Courier, more with his mouth than his game.
"Hey, Maria,'' he uttered into his microphone while he was the chair umpire for Sharapova's doubles competition, "who are you dating these days?''
"Like I'm going to tell you,'' the 17-year-old replied.
Well, it was worth a try.

Names in the Game

Roger Federer and Anastasia Myskina were honored Monday as the 2004 world champions of tennis. Anastasia became the first Russian woman to win a Grand Slam title when she beat countrywoman Elena Dementieva in the French final. Two other Russians were Grand Slam tournament winners: Maria Sharapova (Wimbledon) and Svetlana Kuznetsova (U.S. Open).

Merriment rules at charity event

Maria Sharapova and Derrick Brooks are just a few who keep the action and laughs coming while raising $218,000 for hurricane relief.


Maria, 17, was the main attraction and the 2004 Wimbledon champion didn't disappoint. She easily defeated Haynes, 20, a promising American from California, 6-2, 6-1 while displaying the complete all-around game that has propelled her to No. 4 in the world rankings. Maria Sharapova later teamed with 17-year-old Kirilenko, who also is Russian, to defeat Haynes and Vaidisova, 15. Maria and Vaidisova live and train in Bradenton.

"I just tried to keep the crowd entertained," Sharapova said.

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Shoulder sidelines Capriati

Tampa - Jennifer Capriati dropped out of an exhibition charity match against Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova on Saturday because of a right shoulder injury. Angela Haynes, who reached the US Open's third round as a wild card, will replace Capriati in the showcase match at the WTA Tour's Hurricane Tennis Slam.
Capriati finished the season ranked 10th. She reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open. The event is to raise money for the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund.

Sharapova emerges as teenage tycoon

Maria Sharapova loves to shop, gossip with girlfriends, write and pore over photos in glossy fashion magazines. But that’s where similarities with other 17-year-olds end. She emerged this year as one of the world’s best tennis players, winning Wimbledon and carefully cultivating a lucrative endorsement portfolio whose worth puts a typical teenager’s allowance to shame.

"One day I can be with my friend talking about the girliest, weird things and the next day I’m in a meeting talking about a deal or sponsorship or doing a photo shoot that are run by all adults that want my opinion," she told The Associated Press recently. "I make the transition quite well. I always thought I’m more mature than other kids my age, but that’s because of the sport I play and the business I’m in. If you’re not mature, I don’t know how you can accomplish what you do."

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The Smell of Success

What does Maria Sharapova smell like when she's not sweating it up on the hard court? Who knows?

Jones hopes future is now

Another star in the making is 15-year-old Ellen Barry. Seeded eight at the NZ Residentials, Barry destroyed first round opponent Zanna Douglas 6-0 6-0.
She exudes a quiet confidence that belies her age. Barry pinpoints Wimbledon champion and pin-up Maria Sharapova as her idol.

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Web Users Have Spoken: Janet Jackson is the Most-Searched Term for 2004

Top 10 Sports Stars of 2004:

1. Anna Kournikova
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Maria Sharapova
4. Serena Williams
5. Amy Acuff
6. Michael Jordan
7. David Beckham
8. Amanda Beard
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
10. Allen Iverson

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Year belongs to Federer and Russian women

RUSSIAN TIDE

Myskina's 6-1 6-2 victory over compatriot Elena Dementieva in the French Open final was a non-event for the fans, but it was a watershed for Russian tennis with thousands waiting to greet the winner on her return to Moscow.
Normal service appeared to have been resumed at Wimbledon where defending champion Serena Williams powered to the final for the loss of just one set.
However she was comprehensively outplayed by the dazzling, 17-year-old Maria Sharapova in the final as the aura that had surrounded her in the previous two years faded.

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Holiday cheer

Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova and U.S. Open semifinalist Jennifer Capriati will play an exhibition match Saturday at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla., to raise money for the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund.
"Many of the top women's tennis players in the world live, train and play in Florida, and the worldwide headquarters for the Women's Tennis Association is in St. Petersburg," WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott said. "So many of our communities were all affected by this year's unprecedented hurricane activity."

Florida was devastated by four hurricanes during the late summer. Maria Sharapova, originally from Siberia, makes her U.S. home in Bradenton, while Florida native Capriati lives in Saddlebrook. "It's a way to give something back," Maria said. "And it's especially great we can do something this time of the year."

TAG Heuer to pay Sharapova $1 million a year

In a year when the sporting world grew accustomed to the Maria Sharapova watch, the Russian tennis star will now get paid to wear one. Sharapova has signed a three-year deal with watchmaker TAG Heuer, according to sources with knowledge of the deal. The contract is believed to be worth about $1 million annually.

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Sharapova to challenge Davenport at Pan Pacific Open tennis

Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova will lead the challengers bidding to prevent a record fifth victory for world number one Lindsay Davenport at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in February, organisers said.

Davenport, who is also on a hat-trick here, posted her first title of last season at the 1.3 million dollar event before winning another six to regain the number one ranking. The American is joint holder of the most Pan Pacific titles along with retired former world number one Martina Hingis on four. But Sharapova will be returning to a happy hunting ground where she successfully defended a WTA title, the Japan Open, for the first time in October. Maria, a big favourite with Japanese supporters, also won her first professional title in the ITF Circuit series in Gunma, north of Tokyo, two years ago.

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The 2004 Tennis-X.com Year-End Awards: Federer, Russians Takeover

Best Feud Women: Maria Sharapova and the other Russians:

Apparently the Amer-Russian Sharapova's blood isn't Vodka-pure enough for compatriots Anastasia Myskina, Elena Dementieva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, etc., who all took shots at the poster girl during 2004. The situation went times-two after crazy-dad-comer Yuri went nuts at the WTA Championships, running on court for congratulations and dropping f-bombs (caught on ESPN) at other fans. Now the other Russians say Sharapova is not welcome on the Fed Cup team in 2005 -- stay tuned.

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Sharapova to return to Japan

Tokyo - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova will take part in the 2005 Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament, organisers said on Thursday. The Russian, who won October's Japan Open, will be the tournament's No 2 seeded player and will be challenged by top seeded Lindsay Davenport of the United States.
"I'm so excited to return to Japan," Sharapova said in a statement released by organisers. "I love playing in Tokyo for the best tennis fans in the world."

The Pan Pacific Open, a WTA Tier 1 event, runs from January 29 to February 6 indoors at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. World No 1 ranked Davenport is the tournament's defending champion and has won this event four times. Other players competing include US Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia and compatriot Elena Dementieva. Japan will be represented by sixth-seeded Ai Sugiyama, Shinobu Asagoe and Miho Saeki.

TENNIS SEASON ENDS ON A HIGH

Surprise of the year:

Maria Sharapova's sudden rise to prominence via her Wimbledon win surprised many who expected the Russian to take at least another year to reach the top.

Moment of the year:

Karolina Sprem's upset win over Venus Williams at Wimbledon was marred by a high-profile umpiring error. But Maria Sharapova's 6-1 6-4 final success over Serena Williams is certain to be the moment which is remembered for many years to come.


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WIMBLEDON SEMI A REAL CLASSIC

At Wimbledon, Maria Sharapova produced a sensational performance in the final as she dismantled two-time champion Serena Williams as she introduced herself to the world (or at least those who hadn't already seen her on an advertising billboard somewhere or other).

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Sharapova's breakout season

In 2003, Maria Sharapova won some small tournaments, but many looked to the future expecting big things from her. She started solidly in 2004, but arrived at Wimbledon never having beaten a player ranked in the top five.
That changed at the All-England Club as Sharapova beat Lindsay Davenport, then ranked No. 5, in the semifinals, and then knocked off Serena Williams to win her first Grand Slam.

Sharapova's title in the year-ending WTA Championships (where she again beat Serena in the final) turned a good year into a great year for the Siberian-born player, who moved to Florida when she was seven-years-old. Maria two major triumphs should do wonders for her mindset heading into 2005.
Another confidence builder has to be her Asian experience in the fall of 2004.
After a less-than-awesome post Wimbledon summer, and a disappointing third-round loss to Mary Pierce at the U.S. Open, Maria Sharapova played tournaments in Beijing, where she lost in the semifinals to Kuznetsova, and Seoul and Tokyo, where she won titles.

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GQ Magazine Names Russian Tennis Star Sharapova Woman of 2004

Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova was selected by GQ magazine as one of its 2004 Women of the Year. The GQ editors said that when they first saw the
Russian blond they thought she was just another copy of her famous compatriot Anna Kurnikova until they saw her play. In July, Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon. In November, she became the world’s first Russian WTA champion.

Maria Sharapova was on the list of five Women of the Year, along with Kate Winslet, Uma Thurman, Loretta Lynn, and Gwen Stefani. In September, Maria Sharapova signed marketing deals with electronics giant Motorola and the Parlux Fragrances. The multi-year deal with Motorola does not only include global advertising and event appearances but also allows fans to stay connected to Maria via Web-based content. The deal with Parlux includes the launch of a perfume that will bear Maria’s name before the end of next year.

Love for Anna Kournikova - Game, Set, Match for Maria Sharapova

To be young, blonde, leggy, and the WASP standard of beautiful is a valuable combination of commodities to be possessed by a woman in this country, a near guarantee for no less than fifteen minutes of fame. Add being reasonably talented at something to the mix, just about anything will do, and the sky is the limit for such a blessed individual. For the past several years, one of the most prominent stars to fit this description was the promising tennis player, Anna Kournikova. By reaching the semifinals of Wimbeldon in her first time out at the prestigious tournament, greatness appeared to be her destiny.

Over the next few years she became one of the most recognizable people in the world, photographs of her appearing every which way one could turn. It seemed that at least half of the internet was dedicated to her lovely likeness. The media fawned over her every move. Endorsements were tossed her way like beaded necklaces at a college girl on a New Orleans balcony during Mardi Gras. Minor movie roles followed logically, because if one has proven to have screen presence, the bigger the screen the better. I suppose if Anna was halfway able to carry a tune, a record deal would been inevitable as well. All she needed to do to maintain her stardom was be young (and she certainly had ample days of youth ahead of her), remain attractive (and it didn't appear that her Lolita style looks would be going out of style anytime soon), and win the occasional tennis match. A major championship or two would have cemented her legacy and kept her as the apple of the fickle media's constantly gazing eye for years to come.

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MERCANTILE TENNIS CHALLENGE

MERCANTILE TENNIS CHALLENGE: Don't forget that Maria Sharapova and Lindsay Davenport will meet in Baltimore at Pam Shriver's tournament on Friday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. at the 1st Mariner Arena.

This year's Wimbleton final opponents are looking forward to a rematch.