Thursday, 29 May 2008

The big M


For $49 you can smell as fragrant as Maria Sharapova with her exclusive range of Parlux perfumes. This is a distinction she shares with Andy Roddick, logically, and Chelsea Hilton, illogically. “They will make you feel feminine and confident with its fresh fragrant garden florals appeal…perfect for day and night”.

Earlier this month the enigma that is Maria came to the fore when she refused to do a promotional event for the World Tennis Association in Rome saying she was only there to play tennis. They threatened to fine her $300,000 and a compromise was brokered with a 90 minute promotion, with Maria dressed in a swimsuit. The authorities are as confused as everyone else by this icon who is still playing tennis and caught in the vortex of a global media machine and dealing with everything with the kind of calm, sang froid that might make her a great poker player.

She won on clay in Amelia Island this year, lost to Serena Williams in Georgia, played some long games in Rome before pulling out with a pulled muscle or wanted to make a point...The WTA may have felt that it has helped make her what she is, but it is Sony Eriksson for whom she is a mobile ambassador who have made her the richest girl in the game and it is Tiffany’s who like to style her jewellery alongside Nike designing her dresses. After Wimbledon the richest sports woman in the world heads for the Olympic ideal in Beijing. Despite all this, she is favourite to win at Roland Garros and favourite to win at Wimbledon. She is already 2/1 to win on grass which has some sense to it. To win on the slow clay at Paris is perhaps another story. But then with Maria, it is very often, another story
But then this girl is just turned 21 in April. She opens her MySpace page with this explanation of her down home, orange county values.

“For those who don't know me, I'm Maria Sharapova. I'm a Women’s Pro Tennis Player. My Ranking is Number 1. I am 21 Years Old, Living in Bradenton, Florida. I love playing tennis and practicing on my game.

“I started hitting tennis balls at the age of four. At the age of six, I participated in a exhibition in Moscow that featured Martina Navratilova. So, at the age of nine, I began training at Nick Bollettieris Tennis Academy located in Brandenton, Florida, Therefore, during those two years, I was separated from my mother for two year due to visa restrictions and finances. …During my leisure time off court, my interest includes modeling in fashion, singing, jazz dancing and movies. In 2004 I won Wimbledon!”

For her foundation to help disadvantaged children get a start in the world she spells the mission out like this

M otivate children worldwide
A ddress thier individual strengths and weaknesses
R ealize thier potential
I ntitate, and
A chevie their dreams

That’s her spelling, not mine, but then my Russian is crap.

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