Maria Yuryevna Sharapova, nicknamed "Masha", was born Nyagan, Russia in 1987 (then Soviet Union). Sharapova's father, Yuri Sharapov, brought her to the United States when she was just seven years old to attend the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Her mother, Yelena, who was not able to go with them at the time because of visa restrictions, followed a few years later. Maria retains her Russian citizenship even though she and her family have maintained her residence in Florida since traveling to the state for training.
Maria gained great fame when in 2004 she beat favorite Serena Williams to take the Wimbledon title at the tender age of 17. Two years later, she defeated Justine Henin in the final of the 2006 U.S. Open. She also reached the final at the 2007 Australian Open.
At 6 feet 2 inches tall Maria is one of the tallest women currently in tennis. Only Lindsay Davenport has been a taller Grand Slam champion in the 21st Century.
Aside from being one of the tallest female athletes she is also one of the highest paid. In June 2005, Forbes magazine listed her as the highest-paid female athlete in the world, with annual earnings of over $18 million USD. A year later, in 2006, CBS reported in that the figure is over $20 million USD. The majority of Sharapova's earnings come from endorsements and sponsorships. In a later interview she said, "You know, one of the greatest things about being an athlete and, you know, making money is realizing that you can help, you know, help the world, and especially children, who I absolutely love working with."
Maria is currently single, her favorite male companion is her pampered pomeranian, "Dolce".
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