Mother is the Quiet Power Behind Queen Sharapova

Guardian U.K. ^ | 6/18/05 | Eleanor Preston

[beyond the sea]

"On the court she reminded me of the margay, a small wild cat, like a miniature leopard, that lives in the jungles of Central America. Her emerald-green eyes had the look of a creature who you knew would never quite belong to anyone but herself. She was still only “peanut-sized”, as her father, Yuri, called her, with long, skinny legs and arms, corn-blonde hair, braces on her teeth and a dusting of freckles on her nose. But when she went to strike the ball, her little cat-face would bunch into a snarl, her body would coil itself like a spring behind her racket, she would hurl herself at the ball and, with an ear-splitting banshee scream that sent shivers down your spine, unleash a laser-guided ground stroke." - Simon Worrall

*****

Good luck

[beyond the sea]

Maria Sharapova ping ......

[CarrotAndStick]

[beyond the sea]

Thanks, very nice.

Here are two great pictures that I do not know how to post. ;-)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1168079/posts -- post # 9

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1164827/posts -- post # 23

[CarrotAndStick]

Here, I've posted those images you requested:

[billclintonwillrotinhell]

MMMMMaria! I'll watch Wimbledon as long as Maria is in the tournament! She's a blonde with a brain, a hottie who loves her family, a Russian who's more like an American.

[SkyPilot]

"On the court she reminded me of the margay, a small wild cat, like a miniature leopard, that lives in the jungles of Central America."

Get thee to an editor.

________________________________________________________________________

I like the fact that she wears a gold cross and can be seen silently praying on the court between points. Some interviewer asked her this question about her cross.

_________________________________________________________________

Q. Is there anything significant about the necklace? Is it a good luck?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No. I always wear a cross.

Q. Will you wear that all the time? Do you do anything with superstition? Is there something you always do?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, no, no. This I wore all my life. I just always wear a cross.

[Slump Tester]

Quite refreshing! No beads in the hair, and she doesn't look like a man or have a sister that does either!

[Textide]

Wow, an actual hot, girl-looking girl on the court. May have to start watching women's tennis again. Hopefully she doesn't grunt everytime she hits the ball.

[raybbr]

Hopefully she doesn't grunt everytime she hits the ball.

You're in luck! She doesn't grunt. She screams. I wish they had put a stop to it when Seles started it. It's too late now so I have to watch with the sound down.

[csvset]

She reminds me of Amber, from CBS's Survivor & Amazing Race.

[beyond the sea]

CarrotAndStick ...................... you are the greatest!

Aren't those two pictures excellent!?

Now, if only Maria plays well at Wimbledon. She is said to have a relatively easy draw into the quarter finals, but I know anyone at that level can beat anyone else. As they say in the NFL ...... "on any given Sunday".

We'll see.

[CarrotAndStick]

Sure!

[beyond the sea]

I love this girl. She has a superior head and loves all the right things. I pray that she stays as she is, and is not damaged by fame. The children of the world would have a great example in her.

And, as a male, she is SO FINE!!!

[beyond the sea]

By the way, thanks for the great post. This young lady is something special.

As a tennis player, she still has to learn a couple of things (like throwing in a few drop shots every once in a while to disrupt her opponents tempo), but as a fine young girl, she is perfect for today's jaded sports world and the world at large. I pray she is kept well by God.

[beyond the sea]

Hopefully she doesn't grunt everytime she hits the ball.

Sometimes she makes a noise, but it's certainly NOT a grunt. It's more like a sound you may hear from a woman at a more "private" moment, so to speak.

I wish she would be silent, but that is the way she was taught years ago.

Tennis was much better before all the "sounds".

[beyond the sea]

Tennis/Maria ping

***

miele man -- (from another thread) -- You're right, Martina Hingis was great. She was a smart player, but those powerful players bugged her. She should have never quit! She should have stayed, she could have been the best for a long time.

[Freebird Forever]

BTTT

[Red Sea Swimmer]

Cute picture. (I'm talking about the top photo...)

[raybbr]

Sometimes she makes a noise...

Sometimes????? Every time I watch her (which is every time I can) she makes a screeching sound at every strike of the ball. It's too bad they didn't stop this when Seles started it. They tried but the powers that be in tennis decided that Seles' talent overtook convention and just ignored the pleas of her opponents.

I love Sharapova as a tennis player and a young woman who seems to have a very positive outlook on her life. She possesses humility, grace and poise whether winning or losing. Something tennis hasn't seen in long, long time.