Maria
Sharapova had hardly stepped off court after her stunning triumph at
Wimbledon 10 years ago when the phone of her long-time agent and
business mentor Max Eisenbud started ringing off the hook.
A
star was born, one with a golden combination. Talented, articulate,
driven and extremely photogenic — small wonder that the queue of
potential sponsors equalled the line of those seeking her autograph.
Eisenbud
recalls how they took a hard-headed view: ‘After she won Wimbledon, her
life changed. We were offered everything going but we didn’t want Maria
to end up like Anna Kournikova.’
Ten years
on, that appears to have been a wise course of action. Sharapova, while
curiously not having added to her Wimbledon tally, is still winning
Grand Slam titles but has also acquired riches beyond most athletes’
dreams. Kournikova, meanwhile, is largely forgotten.
Only
two weeks ago, Sharapova was posing with her second French Open title
in front of the Eiffel Tower. She couples this with topping the Forbes
list of highest earning female athletes.
The
27-year-old Russian’s net worth is estimated at $150million (£88m) and
her annual earnings at around $27m (£15.9m). Her dual success on and off
the court is a phenomenon. As Sharapova admits, she had little idea
what that 2004 triumph at the All England Club would bring.
‘At
17 you’re not too business- savvy,’ she tells me in her calm,
matter-of-fact way. ‘My parents helped me and their support and
understanding kept me realistic.
‘I
lived in a very real world. I had just won Wimbledon but you go back to
Florida and the barista is still making the coffee. One of the reasons I
have been able to keep that success and carry on with all the things I
do is that I love going on the court and love competing.
‘But
I also have opportunities to do things that make me happy. If you don’t
have that passion you are never going to be really successful. Things
are always going to be a drag and pull you in so many directions when
you are a 17-year-old who has won Wimbledon.’
Largely forgotten: Maria Sharapova's manager didn't want her going the same way as Anna Kournikova
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