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Sharapova emerges as teen business tycoon
Maria Sharapova loves to shop, gossip with girlfriends, write and pore over photos in glossy fashion magazines. But that's where similarities with other 17-year-olds end.
She emerged this year as one of the world's best tennis players, winning Wimbledon and carefully cultivating a lucrative endorsement portfolio whose worth puts a typical teenager's allowance to shame.
"One day I can be with my friend talking about the girliest, weird things and the next day I'm in a meeting talking about a deal or sponsorship or doing a photo shoot that are run by all adults that want my opinion," she told The Associated Press recently.
"I make the transition quite well. I always thought I'm more mature than other kids my age, but that's because of the sport I play and the business I'm in. If you're not mature, I don't know how you can accomplish what you do."
What Sharapova did this year was, in her words, "extraordinary." She rose to a career-high fourth in the year-end WTA rankings after starting at No. 32. She finished with a 55-15 match record, earned more than $2.5 million in prize money and won five titles, including Wimbledon and the WTA Championships over Serena Williams.
Those results raised Sharapova's appeal to sponsors and fashion magazines, putting her among select female players who, like Williams, are in demand on and off the court.
"I've said 'No' more since July 3 than I've ever said in my life," her agent, Max Eisenbud, said. "Knowing that we're only going to do a few deals gave us the luxury to really be selective. She has total control of her career on everything."
Sharapova's business is handled by about 20 people from her management company, IMG. They are stationed in the United States, Japan, Korea and Europe to sift through offers. Time demands are a key consideration.
"If some stupid company offers you millions of dollars, but wants you to work 30 days a year, that's nonsense," she said.
Sharapova's off-court time is tightly structured. During the brief offseason, she might practice two hours several days a week in addition to two-hour fitness workouts.
She is schooled via the Internet. Her mother, Yelena, cuts her textbooks into sections, so Sharapova doesn't have to lug them around the world. She takes just three courses a year, doing homework a few times a week.
"I'm not really in a hurry," she said. "I've always sort of been learning by myself."
Then there are photo shoots, including one for the April issue of Vogue.
"What girl doesn't want that?" she said, smiling before popping a piece of shrimp tempura sushi in her mouth and sipping on green tea.
But don't expect Sharapova, who has lived in Florida since coming from Russia with her father when she was 9, to mimic Williams' many pursuits.
"I don't feel I can achieve two things at once," she said. "I have so many worries on the court and things I need to be working on and I need rest."
Sharapova's newest deal is ambassador for TAG Heuer, maker of timepieces that retail for thousands of dollars. "That's a very hard thing," she said. "You want to be associated with prestige companies, but on the other side, not so many people can afford prestige." Of course, it helps that Sharapova is an attractive blonde who looks good in slinky gowns and perilously high heels and her tennis clothing. "We have the luck that she is a very beautiful and charismatic woman at 17," said Daniel Lalonde, CEO of TAG Heuer. "Her age is not a key for us." He is counting on Sharapova to help attract more women to watches that have long been pitched to men. "I'm such a girly girl," she said. "I love being stylish and elegant because on court it's mentally and physically draining. You give it all you've got, you don't show your pretty side." Some ugliness occurred last month when French Open champion Anastasia Myskina threatened to quit Russia's Fed Cup team if Sharapova joins the squad, saying she doesn't like Sharapova's father, Yuri. Sharapova won't ask her father to stay away from her matches. "He's been with me throughout my whole life and my whole career," she said. "He's put so much effort and so much desire into trying to help me any way he can." Russian Fed Cup coach Shamil Tapischev said last month that Sharapova agreed to play next year. Sharapova said her representatives are talking to Tapischev, but nothing has been finalized. Sharapova, an only child, is extremely close to her parents. Even though she turns 18 in April, she's in no hurry to move out and be on her own. "I love my parents," she said. "I trust them so much that I don't feel I need to get rid of them." |
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