How Maria Sharapova Mastered the Art of the Wicked Spin

 

Maria Sharapova And The Art Of Brand Building
Even in black sweatpants and basic white sneakers, Maria Sharapova is impossible to miss. We meet in late spring in Sarasota, Fla., at the IMG Academy Bollettieri, named for the tennis coach who helped make her famous. His name, this place, are very much part of Sharapova’s often-told rags-to-riches story. Here is where she came— straight from Russia, with her father, Yuri, neither of them knowing much English—to become a tennis star at the age of seven. They had just $700 to their name and got to practice by bicycle because they couldn’t afford a car. Turned out that at seven, Sharapova was still too young to even attend the academy, but Yuri took odd jobs to help keep them afloat until she was, at nine, when she entered with a full ride. When her mother finally arrived, a year later, Sharapova was homeschooled so she could focus on tennis.

It was sacrifice that paid off, of course. By 18, Sharapova was the world’s highest-paid female athlete, a title she held for the 11 years following, a silver Olympic medalist and one of only 10 women to win a career Grand Slam in tennis. Her talent made her bankable, but so did, ironically, her “all-American” good looks—six-foot-two with long, golden hair. Eventually, multimillion-dollar endorsements from brands like Canon, Porsche, Nike, Head, and Evian overtook tournament prize money. The fashion industry grabbed hold, too, bolstered by early support from tennis fan Anna Wintour, who put her on the cover of Teen Vogue. Her 18th birthday was sponsored by Motorola.

This story is from the December 2018 edition of Entrepreneur.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the December 2018 edition of Entrepreneur.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Related Posts

LeBron’s Work Ethic Outshines: ‘Not Even Kobe or MJ Did That,’ Says Former Bucks Guard, Putting Him in All-Time Top 5

In a recent interview with HoopsHype, Greivis Vasquez named LeBron James one of his top five players of all time. Vasquez, drafted 28th overall by the Memphis…

LeBron and Bronny Set to Make History Together in Lakers’ Season Opener: 100% Confirmed!

One major storyline to follow for the Los Angeles Lakers this season will be Bronny and LeBron James making history as the first father-son duo to share the court together in the NBA. LeBron is heading into his 22nd season while Bronny begins …

LeBron James Stays Silent as 17-Year-Old Bryce Boldly Challenges NBA Superstar Dad to a 1v1 Duel

LeBron James was a beast back in high school. Older fans will remember how dominant he was as a teen back then, attracting scouts from around the…

30 Teams, 30 Days: Lakers Rely on LeBron and AD to Lead the Charge Again

Offseason Re-signing: Max Christie, LeBron James Additions: Coach JJ Redick, Christian Koloko Draft: Dalton Knecht (No. 17 pick), Bronny James (No. 55) Departures: Coach Darvin Ham, Spencer Dinwiddie (to Mavs), Taurean…

NBA Bids Farewell to a Legend, Fans Unexpectedly Turn to LeBron James

As one of the two most prestigious NBA journalists, Adrian Wojnarowski has long won the trust of fans with hot, fast and accurate transfer information. But after a long time in journalism, Wojnarowski himself shared the “blockbuster” …

Maria Sharapova Celebrates 10 Million Fans on Facebook: A Grand Slam in Social Media!

Tennis – World no. 2 Maria Sharapova is not only the highest earning female in the world but she is also the most popular female athlete in all of sports in social media. Sharapova, who will defend her French Open title next week, has now reached 10 million …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *