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Don´t be fooled by her supermodel looks, No. 2 ranked female player Maria Sharapova is as aggressive and competitive as they come.
Sharapova enters the 2007 US Open as the defending US Open women´s champion after defeating Justine Hedenne Hardin in straight sets last year. The 20-year-old has already participated in four US Opens.

At an early age, Maria´s tennis skills stood out among her peers and she began to dream about going pro. Initially, she was taught the sport of tennis by her father and soon her talent was recognized by tennis great Martina Navratilova.

To help Maria pursue her goal, her parents decided to move to the United States in March 1985. Her mom stayed behind to finish her education and waited for a visa, while her father arrived to America with little money and spoke no English.

Initially, father and daughter reached IMG´s Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton without a lot of money. Although Maria impressed the scouts, she was too young too enroll.

Her father would work odd jobs and train Maria for the next couple of years until she returned to the Academy and earned a full scholarship at only nine years old. Maria practiced and competed with girls twice her age and at 13-years-old won the Girls´ 16-and-under Eddie Herr Championships in November 2000.

Soon she debuted in a professional tournament in April 2001 and a WTA tournament in 2002.

Along with her US Open title, Maria won Wimbledon in 2004. She is the first Russian female to be ranked number one in the world.

Sharapova was born in Nyagan, Russia on April 19, 1987 and currently resides in Brandenton, Florida. She has won a total of 226 career matches and has earned a total of $9,674,001.