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Maria Sharapova Facts & Worksheets

Maria Yuryevna Sharapova, known as Maria Sharapova, is a Russian professional tennis player. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA on five different occasions.

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Maria Yuryevna Sharapova, known as Maria Sharapova, is a Russian professional tennis player. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA on five different occasions for a total of 21 weeks. She is the only Russian to hold a Career Grand Slam.

See the fact file below for more information on the Maria Sharapova or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Maria Sharapova worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Early Life

  • Maria Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987 in Nyagan, Russian SFSR.
  • Maria Sharapova’s parents are Yuri and Yelena.
  • In 1989, Maria Sharapova and her family moved to Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia.

Career Beginnings

  • In 1991, Aleksandr Kafelnikov, a family friend, gave Maria Sharapova her first tennis racquet. She then started practising regularly with her father at a local park.
  • Maria Sharapova had her first tennis lessons with veteran Russian coach Yuri Yutkin.
  • In 1993, Maria Sharapova went to a tennis clinic in Moscow managed by Martina Navratilova. Martina suggested professional training at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
  • In 1994, Maria Sharapova together with her father, moved to the USA.
  • Maria Sharapova’s father worked at various low-paying jobs so she could take her lessons.
  • Before Maria Sharapova got accepted in the IMG Academy, she was trained by Rick Macci in the Rick Macci Tennis Academy.
  • In 1995, Maria Sharapova was signed by IMG. IMG approved to pay the yearly tuition fee of $35,000 for Sharapova to remain at the Academy, which she finally enrolled in at the age of 9.
  • In November 2000, Maria Sharapova won the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships in the girls’ 16 division which is her first competition. She was later awarded the Rising Star Award.

Career Achievements

  • On April 14, 2001, Maria Sharapova made her professional debut on her 14th birthday.
  • When Maria Sharapova was 15 years old, she played in the finals of the Australian Open junior tournament, making her the youngest person to reach the finals.
  • In 2003, Maria Sharapova was awarded as the Russian Cup Newcomer of the Year.
  • As a professional, Maria Sharapova was awarded as the WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2003.
  • In 2004, Maria Sharapova was able to enter the top 10 for the first time.
  • Maria Sharapova got her first grand slam singles title at the 2004 Wimbledon Championships.
  • In the 2004 WTA Tour Championships, Maria Sharapova won the finals against Serena Williams.
  • Maria Sharapova was awarded as the WTA Player of the Year and WTA Most Improved Player of the Year in 2004.
  • On August 22, 2005, Maria Sharapova was the first Russian woman to gain the world No. 1 ranking.
  • Maria Sharapova was awarded as the ESPY Best Female Tennis Player in the year 2005, 2007, and 2008.
  • Maria Sharapova had a 19-match win streak during 2006.
  • In 2005 and 2006, Maria Sharapova was awarded as the Russian Cup Female Tennis Player of the Year.
  • In 2007, Maria Sharapova became the ESPY Best International Female Athlete.
  • With around $22 million earned in 2009, Maria Sharapova was the top earner in female sports even if she only played three tournaments because of a shoulder injury.
  • Maria Sharapova received the awards for WTA Humanitarian of the Year, WTA Most Fashionable Player (on and off court) and WTA Fan Favorite Singles Player in 2010.
  • In 2012, Maria Sharapova was only the tenth woman to complete a Career Grand Slam with the French Open victory.
  • Maria Sharapova was the first female flag bearer for Russia in Olympic Games history.
  • On August 13, 2012, Maria Sharapova was awarded with the Medal of the Order For Merit to the Fatherland 1st Class.
  • Maria Sharapova bagged her first grand slam singles title since 2008 and fourth title overall at the 2012 French Open, which made her the sixth woman in the open era to complete a Career Grand Slam in singles.
  • Maria Sharapova reached the final of the Australian Open and won her third title in Rome in 2015.

Personal Life

  • In 2011, Maria Sharapova was engaged to Slovenian professional basketball player Sasha Vujačić, but on August 31, 2012, she confirmed that they ended their relationship.
  • In January 2018, Maria Sharapova started dating Paddle8 president and co-founder Alexander Gilkes.

Press Features and Advocacies

  • During 2005 and 2007, Maria Sharapova was the most searched athlete on Yahoo.
  • From 2005 to 2011, Sharapova was included in the Forbes Celebrity 100.
  • The Maria Sharapova Foundation is devoted to helping children around the world attain their dreams.
  • Maria Sharapova has given $100,000 to Chernobyl-related projects.
  • In partnership with the UNDP, Maria Sharapova started a $210,000 scholarship program for students from the Chernobyl-affected areas of Belarus.
  • In 2005, Maria Sharapova donated around US$50,000 to those affected by the Beslan school hostage crisis.
  • On February 14, 2007, Maria Sharapova became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme.
  • In December 2004, Maria Sharapova helped in raising money for the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund.
  • Maria Sharapova’s autobiography, entitled Unstoppable: My Life So Far, was published on September 12, 2017 by Sarah Crichton books.
  • Maria Sharapova became FHM’s 7th most eligible bachelorette in 2007.

Maria Sharapova Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Maria Sharapova across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Maria Sharapova worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Maria Yuryevna Sharapova, known as Maria Sharapova, who is a Russian professional tennis player. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA on five different occasions for a total of 21 weeks. She is the only Russian to hold a Career Grand Slam.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Maria Sharapova Facts
  • Introducing Maria
  • Before The Glamour
  • Eyes On The Ball
  • Year After Year
  • Life Off Court
  • Women in Tennis
  • Russian Athletes
  • Tennis or False
  • Superstar Recap
  • A Message to Maria

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Link will appear as Maria Sharapova Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 3, 2018

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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