http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/columns/story?id=2009182
By Matthew Cronin
Special to ESPN.com
It's almost impossible for Maria Sharapova to be inconspicuous these days, as
one of the web's most searched female athlete.
Maria Sharapova couldn't resist a chance to watch Davis Cup.
But last Sunday, Sharapova sat for four hours watching Andy Roddick play Ivan
Ljubicic during the U.S.-Croatia Davis Cup final and few fans noticed her.
Perhaps because she was wearing an olive hooded sweatshirt that covered up
her famous long hair, or maybe it's simply because she could blend in with
all the tall young blondes running around the Home Depot Center.
Sharapova had a blast being a normal teenager as she made three dashes to the
concession stands to indulge in some serious junk food. When was the last time
you've seen a top athlete with a super model's physique wolfing down two
hot dogs and a churro?
"I was so bad," a giggling Sharapova told ESPN.com. "But it was fun."
Like Anna Kournikova and Serena Williams before her, Sharapova is attempting
to deal with her enormous celebrity while trying to reach the top of her
profession. Kournikova failed in her attempt and retired before winning a
title, while seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams has been incredibly
successful on court and on the red carpet.
"I've always wanted to be a top player," said Sharapova, who is ranked third
in the world. "That's been my dream. But what comes with it can be
celebrity, and even if it has nothing to do with tennis, it's part of what I
do, I have to accept it. If I don't want to be a tennis player, I wouldn't
have to accept these things and be that level of celebrity. It's something
that comes with sport."
Especially these days, when women tennis players are not only marketed for
their remarkable forehands and backhands but also for their eye-catching
angles and curves. Sharapova understands this. She has cashed in on her
looks as well as her huge forehand. Some industry analysts have ventured
she could earn $100 million in sponsorship deals in the next 10 years.
On court, she already has banked more than $3 million.
"I know I'm popular and have become a celebrity, not just a tennis player,
but an off-court celebrity," Sharapova said. "The more fans I have, I
appreciate it. When I'm on court, I think about playing, when I'm with
sponsors, I'm like a businesswoman. I do appearances and spend times
with sponsors, but then I go home and I'm a normal person. I forget
about everything. I have an amazing team around me that when I'm not
doing what I should, they allow me to be easy going and forget about it."
Sharapova is creeping closer and closer to the No. 1 ranking and should
she win the Pacific Life Open this week at Indian Wells, she has terrific
shot at passing No. 2 Amelie Mauresmo. If she manages to win back to back
titles at Indian Wells and Miami, she could conceivably take over the No. 1
spot from Lindsay Davenport by mid-April, which would be heady achievement
for any 17-year-old.
Sharapova says she not focusing on that right now. Instead, she's
concentrating on playing well enough to grab wins because she knows that
if she keeps racking up victories, the ranking will come. She's more
concerned about maintaining a proper balance in her life -- keeping it real
-- and making sure she doesn't become a robotic tennis celebrity in the
Kournikova mold.
"It's a business whatever you do," Sharapova said. "But once I'm home, I
can sit with a friend, laugh and say how amazing the last year has been.
Even with what happened last year, my friends and I are still doing what
we did a year ago."
Sharapova caught the tennis fever at an early age, and it still hasn't
worn off. Last Saturday night, she saw that Andre Agassi might be playing
the fifth and deciding rubber against Mario Ancic and called for Davis Cup
tickets. She reveled in the atmosphere, while she watched Ljubicic fell
the once mighty Roddick. Agassi never made it on court, but she didn't care.
"I never felt that Davis Cup or Fed Cup vibe and wanted to see what it was
like, and it was really amazing," she said. "Hearing the whole stadium
making so much noise was great."
She might get a chance to experience it as a player in April as the
Russia's Fed Cup captain said he'd like to have her on the team --
despite misgivings potential teammate Anastasia Myskina shared with
the media about interference from Sharapova's father.
It would be hard to turn down a major winner. The Russian, who lives
in Florida, has developed legions of new fans since she stunned Serena
Williams in the Wimbledon final last July.
It's changed her daily life, but Sharapova's still willing to go to the
mall for shoe shopping, even if the boys hanging around the record store
start singing "Maria, Maria."
"As I get more popular having a private life will be harder," she said.
"But let people take my picture or my autograph. At the end of the day,
I still have the people around me that I need and I still have myself.
That's the most important thing."
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