The world’s highest-paid female athlete Maria Sharapova keeps her schedule busy without playing tennis. According to Variety Magazine, the Russian tennis star, who is still recovering from shoulder injury, is aiming at adding “television producer” to her resume.

“Sharapova has partnered with writer Jacob Epstein to lob a sports-themed drama toward the CW net. Project will be set inside the world of professional women’s tennis — a topic Sharapova, currently ranked fifth among the world’s female players, knows a thing or two about.”

An interesting thing to look out for in the new drama is the guest star appearances. For example, Serena Williams has done some TV acting, and Andy Roddick has hosted the Saturday Night Live. Would be fun to watch!

Technorati Tags: Maria Sharapova, Russian Tennis Player

(Via Eurosport) - The world number seven Russian Anna Chakvetadze has booked the sixth place in the season ending WTA Tour Championships.

“I’m so excited to play in my first Sony Ericsson Championships. 2007 has been an amazing year for me, having reached the Top 5 in the world, and I am looking forward to finishing strongly in Madrid,” said the 20-year-old Russian.

Chakvetadze joins Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Ana Ivanovic and Serena Williams in the season-ending tournament in Madrid, which takes place from November 6-11.

With two places remaining Australian Open finalist Maria Sharapova and Wimbledon champion Venus Williams are clinging to the seventh and eighth places in the WTA Race.

For Anna Chahkvetadze’s complete profile visit WTA site.

• Russian tennis superstar, seeded number five Marat Safin has crashed out in the second round losing to compatriot Igor Andreev.
• Serena Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova won their quarterfinal matches and will face each other in the semifinals. Williams beat eighth-seeded Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 7-6 (7), and the top-seeded Kuznetsova defeated Vera Dushevina 6-2, 6-2.
• Scott Andy Murray was beaten in the second round by Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic. Now he has more time to clarify his comments about match fixing and reply Nikolay Davydenko’s comment that “If Murray says that he knows, that means that he gambles himself.”
• Five seeded players in the women’s draw - Maria Sharapova, Anna Chakvetadze, Marion Bartoli, Amelie Mauresmo and Patty Schnyder - were all upset in the earlier rounds.

• Justin Henin has wrapped up the year-end No. 1 ranking for the third time. (Via On the Baseline)

• Maria Sharapova, Amelie Mauresmo crashed out of Moscow’s Kremlin Cup. (Via Tennis.com)

• If you know Russian, check out Serena William’s interview with Tennis and Business magazine.
• Anastasia Myskina still has no idea when she will be back. She will not be playing in Australian Open for sure (Via Vtoraya Podacha)

Technorati Tags: Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Anastasia Myskina

During a press conference on Wednesday at Moscow’s Olympic Sports Complex, Shamil Tarpischev said that Maria Sharapova still hasn’t confirmed her participation in Kremlin Cup. Though Sharapova is already in Moscow and has already started her practices, her team will make their final decision only after her Thursday doctor visit. Sharapova is still recovering from a shoulder injury.

According to Tarpischev, Yelena Vesnina has been granted a wild card for her contribution to Fed Cup. Three other players are being considered for the other two cards–Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, and Vera Dushevina (currently ranked No 44).

There is much speculation going on in the Russian blogosphere that Serena Williams most probably is not going to participate in the Kremlin Cup, though Tarpischev didn’t want to confirm it. He has shown his enthusiasm and willingness to give as many wild cards to the Russian players as possible. According to Serena’s official site, she is still scheduled for Kermlin Cup. We’ll see.

Charismatic Marat Safin is also going to return to tennis at Kremlin Cup as a wild card. “Hopefully this will be my year, although I can’t make any promises,” said the 27th-ranked Safin, who lost to Nikolay Davydenko in last year’s Kremlin Cup final.

Kremin Cup is a $1.34 million Tier 1 indoor tournament in Moscow. It will be held at Moscow’s Olympic sports complex from Oct. 6 to 14.

(Photo: Tennis & Business)

Technorati Tags: Maria Sharapova Serena Williams Marat Safin

U.S. vs WORLD

BusinessWeek has introduced its Power 100—their ranking of the most influential people in the world of sports. Only two tennis players were able to crack the list—Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova. The 12-time Grand Slam Champion Roger Federer ranks 30^th and the Russian tennis star Sharapova is No . 73 A quick glance of the BusinessWeek’s list shows that this is yet another US-centric Most-Something-of-the-World-type list (examples are many: the most beautiful, the most powerful, the most… the best…of the WORLD). Needless to say, that the criticism is pouring in from the sports fans around the world. One of the readers notes:

As usual, we are presented with an American-centric list that in no way reflects the reality of power in the world of sports. Any list of the 100 most powerful figures in sports in which the only soccer representative, Sepp Blatter, is far lower than a whole bunch of chairpersons of sports that are completely irrelevant outside the States, has no value. Ask anyone in the world outside the US who Ronaldinho is and they will tell you. Ask them who Peyton Manning is, and they’ll know too… if they are American expats.”

Why not call it the most powerful figures in US sports and save them the criticism? Why all these type of lists always have to have the word “World” in them?

Read more »

This time it looks very serious. According to Russia’s tennis team captain, Shamil Tarpischev, Maria Sharapova is planning to play for Russia in 2008 Fed Cup. In an interview with dni.ru, he said:

“When Maria was here for the Fed Cup final, I had a discussion with her, her father, and her manager about Masha’s intentions to play for Russia in 2008. All of them are very positive about it. Sharapova has always wanted to play for our team, however the circumstances haven’t allowed her to do it yet. She is so serious about it that they are considering rescheduling her 2008 tour calendar. However, there are factors that we cannot control. For example, the first match with the Israeli team will be right after the Australian Open. Nobody knows in what condition Maria or any other female player of our team will be.”

Citing the current rules, Tarpischev noted that this time around Sharapova doesn’t have the luxury to pull out of the Fed Cup, if she really wants to participate in Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Maria Sharapova is a huge international star and… a marketing machine. By winning an Olympic medal she will become even more popular in Russia and around the world. In many parts of the world, the Olympic medal remains the most prestigious achievement for an athlete.

While I was oversees, I had seen so many Sharapova ads that I had never seen them before in the U.S. market. If Maria plays for Russia in 2008, it would be a nice PR, marketing and professional career move.

It seems Maria understands it pretty well. In her online diary she says:

“Tennis is such an individual sport and you forget how great it is to be a ‘team-mate’ for a change. The girls did an amazing job of fighting it out from behind….nothing like a true Russian character! When Sveta [Kuznetsova] asked me to join them for their flag run around, it was the best moment I had this year on a tennis court. All of us represent our country on a daily basis, but representing it in a team environment, in front of a home crowd, is a completely different feeling…pretty difficult to describe…”

(Sources: dni.ru, onthebaseline.com, mariasharapova.com)
Maria Sharapova

After earlier reports that tennis world No 4 Maria Sharapova and her camp had decided to skip this year’s Kremlin Cup, now Russian media report that after all Sharapova will be playing in Kremlin Cup.

Sharapova was forced to pull out of the Kremlin Cup with an injury last year and was beaten by compatriot Dinara Safina in the quarterfinals in 2005.

Other confirmed participants are world No. 1 Justine Henin, Amelie Mauresmo of France and a number of leading Russian players, including world No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova and defending champion sixth-ranked Anna Chakvetadze. According to Lenta.ru, Serena Williams is also planning to participate. She has requested a visa and hotel reservation, local tour organizers said.

Kremin Cup is a $1.34 million Tier 1 indoor tournament in Moscow. It will be held at Moscow’s Olympic sports complex from Oct. 6 to 14.

(Sources: Lenta.ru, Reuters.com)

Photo: Nadia Petrova showing Maria Sharapova her seat:-)

With the arrival of Maria Sharapova to Moscow to help the Russian tennis team win the Fed Cup, the Russian news services and blogosphere are very active on covering this big sport event. Here are some translated tidbits that might interest you.

• “I would give us 70 percent chance to win with only 30 for Italy,” said Svetlana Kuznetsova, #1 Russian tennis player (#2 in world.)
• Russia captain Shamil Tarpishchev: “Sharapova is a normal person. We are in very good terms. We don’t pay attention to what media is saying about why she decided to join the team. “
• Tarpishchev: “The fact that Maria Sharopova has been training with Anna Chakvetadze speaks about the improved relationship between their fathers. [There was some kind of a feud going on between those two. However, I couldn’t find more info. Do you know what was the cause?]
• Tarpishchev: “There is no tension between Sharapova and Kuzentsova. It was the media that exaggerated Kuznetsova’s comments. They actually like each other.”

With three players in the top 10, Russia is favoured to beat defending champion Italy and win its third Fed Cup title this weekend. Second-ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 5 Anna Chakvetadze and No. 8 Nadia Petrova will lead Russia along with Elena Vesnina in the best-of-series on indoor hard courts.

Source: Sport.ru

Strana.ru reports that on Tuesday Maria Sharapova arrived Moscow to join the Russian team for the 2007 Federation Cup final against Italy, but only as a spectator and practice partner.

In a TV interview with vesti.ru, Svetlana Kuznetsova was”mildly” surprised why she was there. “I know that Masha is coming, but to tell the truth I am not sure why she is coming. If she says she can’t play because of her injury, how is she going to practice with us? It doesn’t make sense. Anyway my job here is to get ready and do my best.” Kuznetsova is #2 ranked player in the world.

Shamil Tarpishchev, the captain of the Russian tennis team, says that despite the rumors, he has very good relationship with Sharapova, and her dad Yuri, and he is happy that she is there to support the team.

On her website, Russia’s former world No.1 Maria Sharapova gave her explanation: “Unfortunately Tarpishchev called me the day I was visiting a doctor in Toronto, who said the best way to get rid of that 20% nagging shoulder pain… is if I don’t put any impinging overhead pressure on it for the next three weeks. Which basically means I can’t hit anything over my head…The least I could do is fly over there and be their practice partner for the week and cheer them on from the stands.” Sharapova is currently ranked 4th in the WTA rating list.

Source: Ria Novsosti
Maria Sharapova