MARIA SHARAPOVA
Maria Yuryevna Sharapova Maria Sharapova was born on 19 April 1987 in Nyagan, Russian
SFSR. Her parents, Yuri and Elena, are from Gomel, Belarussian SSR. Concerned about the
regional effects of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, they left their homeland shortly before
Sharapova was born, moving from Gomel to Nyagan.
Maria Sharapova as of October 6, 2014 is ranked world No. 2 by the Women's Tennis
Association (WTA) and is the top Russian player. A United States resident since 1994, Sharapova
has won 33 WTA singles titles, including five Grand Slam singles titles. She has also won the
year-end WTA Tour Championships in 2004. The WTA has ranked Sharapova world No. 1 in
singles on five separate occasions, for a total of 21 weeks. She became the world No. 1 for the
first time on August 22, 2005, and last held the ranking for the fifth time for four weeks from
June 11, 2012 to July 8, 2012. She has been in nine Grand Slam finals with a record of 54 with
her most recent Grand Slam coming at the 2014 French Open where she won her second French
Open title and fifth Grand Slam title overall.
Sharapova made her professional breakthrough in 2004 at age 17, when she defeated two-time
defending champion and top seed Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final for her first
Grand Slam singles title. She entered the top 10 of the WTA Rankings with the win. The world
No. 1 ranking followed in 2005, along with subsequent major titles at the 2006 US Open, 2008
Australian Open, 2012 French Open and 2014 French Open.
Grand Slam tournaments
Finals: 9 (5 titles, 4 runners-up)
Outco Yea
Championship
me
r
Surfa
ce
Opponent
Score
Winner
200
Wimbledon
4
Grass
Serena Williams
61, 64
Winner
200
US Open
6
Hard
Justine Henin
64, 64
Runner- 200
Australian Open
up
7
Hard
Serena Williams
16, 26
200
Australian Open
8
Hard
Ana Ivanovic
75, 63
Runner- 201
Wimbledon
up
1
Grass
Petra Kvitov
36, 46
Runner- 201
Australian Open (2)
up
2
Hard
Victoria Azarenka
36, 06
201
French Open
2
Clay
Sara Errani
63, 62
Runner- 201
French Open
up
3
Clay
Serena Williams
46, 46
Clay
Simona Halep
64, 67(57), 6
4
Winner
Winner
Winner
201
French Open (2)
4
Awards
See also: WTA Awards
2003
Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Newcomer of the Year [228]
2004
WTA Player of the Year[229]
WTA Most Improved Player of the Year[229]
2005
2006
ESPY Best Female Tennis Player[229]
Prix de Citron Roland Garros[230]
Whirlpool 6th Sense Player of the Year [229]
2007
ESPY Best Female Tennis Player[229]
ESPY Best International Female Athlete[229]
2008
ESPY Best Female Tennis Player[231]
2010
WTA Fan Favorite Singles Player[229]
WTA Humanitarian of the Year[229]
WTA Most Fashionable Player (On Court)[229]
WTA Most Fashionable Player (Off Court)[229]
WTA Most Dramatic Expression[229]
2012
ESPY Best Female Tennis Player[232]
Medal of the Order For Merit to the Fatherland 2nd Class (April 28, 2012) for
her philanthropic activity[233]
Medal of the Order For Merit to the Fatherland 1st Class (August 13, 2012)
for her outstanding contribution to the development of physical cultures and
sports at the XXX Olympic Games in 2012 in London (Great Britain) [234]
