Maria Yuryevna Sharapova is a famous Russian professional tennis player. She has been honored as a power baseliner by tennis critics and fans. Being a part of the promotional activities, the Russian beauty is also a well-known face in the glamour world. Apart from tennis, she is also eminent as the ambassador of United Nations Development Program where she has donated $100000 for the rehabilitation of Chernobyl nuclear reactor.
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Early life and background
Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987 in Nyagan, Russia. She started playing tennis when she was four years old and took part in Moscow exhibition at the age of six. Sharapova went to Florida with her father when she was nine years old. There she took admission in a renowned IMG tennis academy. They had to suffer due to visa issues and several financial problems for the first two years. Nevertheless, she kept at her game and continued growing from strength strength.
Sharapova debuted as a professional tennis player in 2001, when she was just fourteen. She played her first WTA game in the Pacific Life Open. In the year 2004, Maria Sharapova at the age of 17, won her first grand-slam title at Wimbledon by defeating none other than Serena Williams in straight sets.
Career Achievements
Maria Sharapova has a record of five grand slams in her career. She has made her appearance in the grand slams for 10 times. She has won 35 singles WTA with whooping prize money of $36766149. She was hailed as World Number 1 in the year 2005 by WTA for the first time, and has reached that position 5 times, for 21 weeks.
Relationships
The 1.88 meter tall Maria Sharapova has rumors on being in relationship with many celebrities. Andy Roddick is one of them. She was involved with Roddick during 2005-06. Before Roddick she was linked with Andy Levine. Sharapova was also hooked up with Charlie Ebersol in 2008. Sharapova sustained her relationship with Sasha Vujacic (2010-2012) and Grigor Dimitrov (2012-2015). She has been seen with Grigor Dimitrov in public for several times. However, both the couple denied their relationship in public except in the last July, 2015 when Dimitrov confirmed the report of their break up. There is a rumor on Sharapova’s present involvement with Camilla Belle.
Maria Sharapova with Camilla Belle
Drug controversy
Maria has failed to pass the urine test during last summer in the Australian Open, 2016. She has been taken the drug Tiludronate or ‘meldonium’ as a medicine since 2006. She claimed to consume the medicine for the last ten years to prevent flu, low magnesium and diabetes. She claimed in a press conference that she had completely missed out on the fact that the WTA had included ‘meldonium’ in the list of banned substances since January 2016.
Failing her dope test has alarmed her sponsors and brands like Nike. They have started to keep distance from Maria. Even the United Nations removed her from the position of a goodwill ambassador.
Maria Sharapova – Net worth
Her net worth is $275 million, she is the highest paid female athlete in the world, if you consider her plum sponsorship deals. She has earned almost $22 million as prize money including the Olympic silver medal in 2014. She has earned more than $70 million in 2013, highest in her career.
In the year 2015, Maria Sharapova was the 25th richest sports person in the world. Her earnings for 2015 were $ 29 million which included $6.7 million as salary and $23 million from endorsements.
Maria Sharapova’s net worth is poised to come down with her losing close to $23 million post the meldonium scandal.
House
Sharapova lives alone in her house worth of $2.6 million in LongBoat, USA. That is one of the most precious homes in Florida. Her residence includes four bedrooms, swimming pool, fireplace and a boat dock.