“Beauty sells“, Maria Sharapova had once popularly quoted, a perfect statement from someone who instills a kind of awe and adoration both for her successful game and gorgeous looks.
At the age of 25, she represents a unique picture. After winning Grand Slam championships for four times, she is not just hugely talented but also possesses stunning looks that turns heads back for sure. Financially, her earnings are in the range of $25 million a year the highest for a women athlete across the world with a long queue of endorsements, modelling assignments and fans all over the world.
It was on Sunday that marked her maiden visit to India and the talented Russian showed that she had a funny bone and is experimental as well. “I began my day with a dosa in breakfast; it came on the chef's advice!” Sharapova beamed.
However, this year has been very memorable for her from several perspectives. After a shoulder surgery in 2008, the former world number 1 forayed her way back to the top position again, with a scintillating French Open victory this season and was followed by silver at the London Olympics. Also, this year is even more special to her as she bounced back whenever everyone has almost written her off.
“The French Open win this year was extra special. I was injured for a year. And to come back with a different perspective about how to get into winning positions and to learn how hard it is to convert them into wins... it was an incredible experience that I will never forget,” she said.
“After a rewarding season, I get to visit a country that is new for me and I haven't explored before. People appreciate what you do and that means a lot to me.”
On the court, Sharapova’s seems like a fairy tale story. But when anyone asks her, and the ever-smiling beauty opens up a window into her own world which was nothing but perfect as she grew up in Sochi, Russia.
“I come from a very normal, average family. In fact my mother was still a student when she gave birth to me. My father had to look for so many jobs and we kept moving (from one city to another). We have seen hard times and looking back, tennis wasn’t such a big sport at that time,” comes the candid reply.
Critics feel that her background added to her success. “At the end of the day, I am glad that my family was never afraid to support me. They saw a fire in my eyes, one day hopefully I become the number 1 in the world. And I consider myself very lucky that they carried the belief.”
“It was a big decision for them to move to the US and they were never afraid to give me what I needed. It helped me at every step of the way what I am today,” Sharapova confesses. She now has plans to continue the upward journey in 2013 and said her rivalry with Serena Williams of the US were among the factors “that helped make tennis competitive.”
“Serena is an incredible athlete. It is great to have rivalries in sport as it makes the competition better. You try to keep working hard and change the result in future,” she said.
