Modern Role Models: Maria Sharapova

At the age of four, Maria Sharapova knew she wanted to play tennis. In order to become the best, she and her father traveled from Russia to the United States so she could train at a top tennis academy. Years of hard work and practice paid off. Today, Maria Sharapova is considered one of the best tennis players in the game. She has captured numerous professional titles, including championships from three of the most prestigious tennis tournaments - Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the Australia Open. She is the first Russian female tennis player in history to be ranked to number one in the world.