Maria Yuryevna Sharapova (Russian: Мари́я Ю́рьевна Шара́пова listen ) (born April 19, 1987) is a Russian professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. As of November 19, 2007, she is the fifth-ranked female player in the world. At the end of 2006, she was the world's highest-paid female athlete.
The Sharapova family pronounces its name with a slight stress only on the second syllable (Sharápova), yet English speakers in general — and American sports commentators in particular — commonly mispronounce it by stressing the third syllable (Sharapóva).
Sharapova has won two Grand Slam singles titles. In 2004, she beat Serena Williams to take the Wimbledon title at the age of 17. Two years later, she defeated Justine Henin in the final of the 2006 U.S. Open. She also reached the final at the 2007 Australian Open.
