Maria Sharapova signs record-breaking contract with Nike

If you’re an up and coming sports superstar, you may be interested to know a bit about the business of sports.

This week it was announced that Russian tennis champ Maria Sharapova has renewed her sponsorship agreement with Nike for $70 million (yikes) over the next eight years, the largest endorsement deal for a female athlete in history. The contract tops Venus Williams’ five-year, $45-million deal signed with Reebok in 2000, and includes the launch of a clothing line designed by Sharapova, for which she will get a share of the profits.

Nike, the world’s largest athletic-shoe maker, has worked with the Russian tennis player for 11 years. Since winning Wimbledon in 2004 at the age of 17, Sharapova has become one of the biggest draws on the WTA Tour and the world’s best-paid female athlete.

The deal extension comes less than a year after Sharapova returned from a right-shoulder injury that sidelined her for nine months and forced her to undergo surgery. The best part of the new eight-year deal with the 22-year-old athlete is that Nike is looking beyond her retirement. And Masha’s agent has said that she’s becoming more and more interested in having a hands-on creative role in companies she’s works with as well as an ownership stake.

Sharapova currently makes close to $22 million a year in prize money and from endorsing companies including Tiffany & Co., Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ltd. and Canon Inc., according to Sports Illustrated. She was the only woman in the magazine’s July list of the top 20 highest-earning non-U.S. athletes.

Sharapova has won 20 Women’s Tennis Association titles including three majors. In August 2005 she became the first Russian female tennis player to be ranked number one in the world. She took a 10-month break from the court after undergoing shoulder surgery in July 2008, but has proven herself a force to be reckoned since her comeback, advancing to the semi-finals of the French Open last year and pulling her world ranking up to 14th.

Sharapova partners with TAG Heuer on sunglass collection

Tennis star Maria Sharapova is internationally known for her flawless tennis swing and impeccable sense of style, on and off the tennis court.  Now TAG Heuer Eyewear and Sharapova have collaborated to design a new collection of sunglasses that deliver both function and fashion. With the Maria Sharapova Collection by TAG Heuer Eyewear, women will enjoy chic sunglass designs that are also comfortable, durable and crafted from the highest quality materials – all key features signature to the TAG Heuer name.

Avant-garde, ultra-feminine and incredibly comfortable – the Maria Sharapova Collection by TAG Heuer Eyewear includes two distinctive styles. The iconic aviator style includes a sleek line at top and bold thick frame that combine for a cutting-edge look. The oversized round style is elegantly sculpted, offering 3D curvy coverage worthy of the red carpet. Both styles feature Sharapova’s signature discreetly laser-etched into the shatter-resistant, ultra-light lenses, which offer 100% UV-A and UV-B protection.

Material highlights such as superbly smooth black acetate hand-polished to a mirror finish and racecar-grade stainless steel stand out from the crowd. The Maria Sharapova Collection by TAG Heuer Eyewear is available in black with gray or gradated lenses, or in three other trendy color combinations: an ivory frame with blue lenses, tortoiseshell with brown lenses and dark plum with pink lenses.

The Maria Sharapova Collection by TAG Heuer Eyewear will be available in stores March 2010 at a pricey $250.00.

Tennis anyone?

If you find yourself all fired up to play tennis watching the U.S. Open, remember that watching elite athletes can be really deceptive.  It may appear as if they hit,  jump and lunge with ease, but tennis is one tough game.

So while Serena Williams, Jelena Jankovic and Maria Sharapova are showing us how it’s done during this week’s  tournament,  here’s  a primer for those who want to learn the basics of the game.

Scoring

• Each women’s tennis match is made up of two to three sets (guys play five sets). To win a set, you must win at least six games.
• The games are scored starting at “love” (or zero). From love, the first point is 15, then 30, then 40, which wins the game.

Scoring the Game

• Before serving the score is announced, with server’s score first. So if you’re serving and you have zero and your opponent has 30, say “love-30.”
• The server gets two tries. The serve must go over the net, land in the opposite service box, and bounce once before the opponent returns it.
• If it doesn’t land in the service box,  a second serve is taken. If the second serve also misses, the point is lost.
• If the serve grazes the net but still lands in the service box, the serve doesn’t count, and the server gets a do- over. This is called a “let.”
• If the serve goes in and the opponent returns it, players continue hitting back and forth until someone hits the ball into the net, hits it out of bounds, or misses a shot. The other person gets the point.
• Whoever is serving continues serving until the score reaches 40.
• If the score is tied at 40 (”40-all”), that is “deuce,” which is  another word for tie. To break the tie, someone must win two points in a row.  If  a server at deuce wins the next point, then it’s  ” ad-in” which means “server’s advantage.” If the opponent wins, it goes back to deuce, and someone again must win by two points in a row. Yes, this could go on forever.
• Once the game is over, the serve switches to the opposing player. After even numbered games  players switch sides of the court.

Scoring a Set

• Before the first serve in each new game,  the score in sets is announced with the server’s score first.
• To complete a set, someone must win six games; the first person to win six games wins the set.
• However, as with “deuce,” players must win a set by at least two games. So, if the score is 6-5, the person with 5 must win by two games. If the score ties at 6-6, a tiebreaker is played.

Scoring the Match

• The match is determined by the best two out of three sets. So whoever wins two sets, wins the match. If each player wins a set,  a third set is played to determine the winner.

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Lingo

Want to know the difference between a drop shot and a foot fault?  You can learn all you need to know to speak tennis here.

And if you’re ready to jump onto the court and play, here are a few tips to help your game.

What to wear

The right kind of shoes are important.  Though running shoes offer a cushioned sole, they don’t offer enough support for the side-to-side movement demanded in tennis.

You may not want to immediately  splurge on a new pair of tennies, but check the regulations at the court where you’ll be playing, since many don’t allow dark-soled shoes that could scuff the court.  If you own a pair of cross trainers, wear those instead of running shoes, as they offer better support.

Warming-up

• Warm up before playing.  Jog for five to ten minutes to get your blood flowing. Your body should feel warm.  Do a few grapevines the length of the court to wake up your coordination.
• Walking lunges are a great way to prepare your legs for tennis. This simultaneously lengthens and activates muscles in your legs, priming them for the court.
• Twisting is the major action of the torso when hitting the ball. A standing twist stretch is easy to do against the fence of the court. Follow with some basic twisting from side to side to lubricate the joints in the back. You can try this with your racquet tucked under your arms, behind your back.
• Warming up your shoulders is also essential. Move your arms as if you’re doing the backstroke, circling your arms overhead slowly at first and building up speed for 20 repetitions. Follow this by clapping your hands in front and in back of your body.

How do you get to centre court?

It’s sometimes hard to hear but there is no substitute for practice.  The more you practice, the easier it is to play well when it counts. Remember to get to the court early so you can prepare your body before you start to play and don’t get discouraged.

Etiquette

Remember that tennis has a reputation for being a very polite sport.  While it’s less stuffy than it used to be, there are many niceties you need to know so be sure to learn the proper etiquette before you start batting the balls over the night.  Here are a couple must-know rules:

• If you arrive while other people are playing, wait until the point is over before passing behind to get to your court.
• If your ball rolls into the adjacent court, don’t run after it. Wait for your neighbor to return the ball when it’s convenient. If a ball rolls onto your court, toss it back to the player it belongs to.
• If you have any doubt about whether a ball is out, make the call in favor of your opponent.
• At the end of the game, shake hands with your opponents.

Game on!

U.S. Open players step up the fashion game

The U.S. Open tennis tournament kicks off next week, and the competition is going to be fierce— both on the court and on the fashion front.

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are collaborating with Nike on their respective clothing lines, and this year you’ll see  Fila-sponsored Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki wearing Stella McCartney and Vera Zvonareva wearing K-Swiss .

Here’s a sampling of U.S. Open looks that might catch your eye.

It’s not just the gals sporting new fashions for the Open. Rafa Nadal will wear Nike yellow and black in honor of New York City’s taxi cabs while Andy Murray will be sporting a Fred Perry ensemble in Scottish blue featuring a polo shirt and tailored white shorts.

And what will the always fashionable No. 1 seed Roger Federer be wearing? A red-and-black Nike collection featuring his monogrammed logo underneath the buttons on his polos.

Sharapova sparkles with Gehry-designed Tiffany

Last spring, Maria Sharapova and Tiffany & Co. launched a two year partnership. The Fifth Avenue jeweler announced they would outfit the top-ranked player in different pairs of earrings over a series of  Grand Slam tennis events, beginning with last summer’s U.S. Open.

During this year’s U.S. Open *beginning Aug. 31st) , Sharapova will wear Tiffany earrings especially designed by famed architect and designer Frank Gehry.

“The earrings have a distinctive shape that is like the fluid lines of Frank Gehry’s architecture. I am thrilled to wear these elegant earrings at the US Open.” Sharapova said.

Named Stria for it’s fine corrugated texture, the double drop design has a kinetic energy that complements Maria’s powerful playing style.

Maria’s interest in jewelry extends beyond collecting beautiful pieces.  She visited Mr. Gehry in his California studio to learn about his inspiration for the earrings and his ideas for creating them.

“I wanted to design earrings for Maria that were interesting yet light enough to wear during play,” the architect said. “It was a new idea inspired by corrugations, like a river or a waterfall.”

The complete collection of earrings, called Tiffany for Maria Sharapova,  captures her grace and allows fans access to pieces designed by and for the tennis great.

Get ready to crack open those piggy banks again.

Maria Sharapova’s new Cole Haan ads

She may have been out of competition for months with a shoulder injury but women’s tennis star Maria Sharapova has been keeping busy.

Late last year, Cole Haan announced the  three-time Grand Slam champion would be the face of a new sportswear clothing line debuting this spring.

The new line, called Cole Haan Sporting, includes men’s and women’s footwear and accessories. Sharapova collaborated on the looks for the fall 2009 season, the company said.

The former world number one has a longstanding passion for fashion and is considered a style icon. So it seems fitting that Cole Haan Sporting (a subsidiary of Nike) will embody sport style with Sharapova repping the brand.

Tennis star Maria Sharapova guest edits and graces the cover of ESPN Magazine

After her impressive return to competition at the French Open, Maria Sharapova took on another challenge – editing ESPN The Magazine’s third-annual Revenge of the Jocks issue.

In the current issue of The Mag, on newsstands today, Sharapova details how she would fix women’s tennis, and shows readers what she did while rehabbing her shoulder for eight months.

Sharapova on changing women’s tennis:

• The players’ lounge isn’t a nightclub, either. It’s hard to get ready for a match when there’s a bleached-out blonde in six-inch stilettos and a denim miniskirt hanging out. Who is this person, and why is she here?
• Limit on-court injury timeouts to two per season. I’ve asked for a trainer twice in my career, but I’ve played against girls who call for an injury timeout in every match. They’re just buying time; it’s laughable.

In addition, Sharapova dispenses life advice to fellow jocks, and gives a NFL-caliber makeover to rookie QB Matthew Stafford who obviously  hasn’t had a lot of on-camera experience.

Check out video of  the Sharapova and Stafford fashion shoot here.

Is Maria Verchenova the Maria Sharapova of Golf?

 Generally I’m not a fan of labels or comparisons.  But Maria Verchenova, a young female golfer from Moscow, is being compared to her compatriot Maria Sharapova. These comparisons, not surprisingly, are based as much on Verchenova’s beauty as her athleticism.  So who is Maria Verchenova?

Despite a lack of golfing opportunities in Russia during her childhood, Verchenova took to the game at a young age. In 2004 she won the Russian Amateur Championship and did the same again in 2006.  In 2007 she qualified for the Ladies European Tour (LET), and has since cashed in all but one “regular” tour event she’s played so far.  Verchenova has also recently qualified to play in the upcoming Women’s British Open.

As the first Russian to earn full-time membership on the Ladies’ European Tour, she’s had a number of strong finishes, including a Dubai Ladies’ Masters performance in which she briefly dueled with Annika Sorenstam for the lead.

Before turning pro, Verchenova was the Russian amateur champ in 2004 and 2006, and also won the amateur championships of Austria, Latvia and Slovenia.

Golf365 had a recent interview with Verchenova and lead with this:

Gymnastics, athletics, tennis – all of these sports have been conquered and graced by the ladies of Russia in the last 40 years.

What all of the successful athletes in these sports have shared is a natural flair for sport, a determination to make the most of their talent, a passion for competition and a beguiling nature that has captured the imagination of the world.

And where the likes of Svetlana Khorkina, Yelena Isinbayeva and Maria Sharapova have already travelled, golf’s Maria Verchenova hopes to follow.

In the interview, Verchenova talks about her role in the game:

 Russia doesn’t have programs such as Korea, Japan, countries in Europe or the U.S. have. We have support in tennis and hockey but not in golf so this is something we have to work on. It has been tough for me to get to this level considering the difficulties which came to me along my young career. I wish I could have had more support and experienced people to rely on in the past. But the exciting part is that I can be this person for the next generation and this is priceless! I will do all my best to be a good pioneer and give back.

Verchenova, who has done modeling shoots,  has admitted that Russian tennis star Sharapova is a role model.  Yet Verchenova is very clear about what she takes from her admiration of Sharapova:

I am looking at Maria, not because of the way she looks but because of the way she plays. I think Russian women are strong mentally. They are trying really hard and they are achieving things.

We love the fact that Verhenova brings a a potent dose of style and beauty to the game but hope that when we hear about her in the future it will be primarily because of her talent. Let her game do the talking, as this is her stated goal.

Being attractive shouldn’t be a burden for an athlete. In fact physical beauty can open doors; it’s foolish to deny that. But it shouldn’t define who Verchenova is as a golfer or a woman.  We look forward to following what is hopefully a long and successful career.

She’s Baack! Sharapova digs deep for comeback victory

After a number of false starts, announced comebacks and lingering injuries,  Maria Sharapova played her first tour singles match in nearly 10 months, beating Tathiana Garbin of Italy 6-1, 6-7 (6), 6-3 in the first round of the Warsaw Open.

The 22-year-old Russian, who last played a singles match in August after being sidelined with a torn rotator cuff in her right shoulder, wore a criss-crossed bandage on her shoulder.

Sharapova secured her place in the second round of the tournament despite being taken to the deciding set.

“It was a little bit longer than I wanted it to be, a lot longer than it should have been,” said Sharapova, who attended the post-match press conference with an ice pack on her troublesome right shoulder.

“But I had good opportunities and I played really well in the first set.”

Sharapova looked on course for a straightforward victory at 5-3 up in the second set, but some jittery service games allowed Garbin to take the match to a decisive third set.

“I was definitely nervous closing that second set up,” Sharapova added. “I think that’s normal. I’m human.”

Sharapova has seen her world ranking slump from No.1 to 126 during her absence from the sport, but she played with plenty of grit to secure her place in the second round of the claycourt Warsaw Open. Her next opponent  was expected to be top seed Caroline Wozniacki, but the Dane withdrew today with back injury.

Sharapova has 19 career singles titles to her name but only one on clay and has made no secret of the fact that playing on the slower surface is not her forte.

The claycourt French Open is the only Grand Slam title missing from her collection and she will hope to be fit enough to compete in this year’s tournament, which begins in Paris on May 24.

Welcome back Masha. You were missed!

Venus Williams stops traffic in Miami

Three-time Sony Ericsson champion Venus Williams and British number one Andy Murray kicked off the 2009 Sony Ericsson Open with a little “Traffic Tennis” atop two SUV’s on Miami’s Ocean Drive.

Thankfully for both stars, the game was only promotional and served only as a warm-up for this year’s Sony Ericsson Open, which begins tomorrow.

The Miami tournament, running March 25 – April 5, will open play on the purple courts with World No. 1 Rafael Nadal (who defeated Murray last week in the BNP Paribas final) looking to win his first title in Miami.

With 48 of the world’s top 50 players involved in Miami, both Williams and Murray face a tough task to win one of the more gruelling but lucrative tournaments on the circuit.

Dressed in a bright pink and purple tennis dress, Venus proved she is up for some serious competition against younger sister Serena, currently World No.1.

Twenty-seven-year-old Serena will be aiming to maintain her No.1 ranking as she begins her quest for a sixth title in Miami against either Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky or US wild card Alexa Glatch.

Maria Sharapova had to withdraw from this week’s Open due to a nagging shoulder injury, but fans still have chance to see and meet her in South Florida.

MaSha will make a personal appearance, greet her fans and sign autographs at Cole Haan in Village of Merrick Park on the first floor of Nordstrom in Coral Gables, Florida on Wednesday, March 25th from 2 to 3 p.m. Fans can also enter a contest to win one of five prizes of tickets to the Sony Ericsson Open and a Cole Haan handbag.

Looks like a little of something for everyone.

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