MARIA SHARAPOVA TENNIS CARRIER REVIEW

Year 2002 - In third pro event, Maria Sharapova received WC into Indian Wells unranked, aged 14 years, 10 months. Maria Sharapova defeated No.302 Rippner in first round and lost to Seles. Maria Sharapova debuted on WTA Rankings on March 18 at No. 532 and reached final at five consecutive ITF Circuit events, winning first three. Also, Maria Sharapova received WC into Tokyo [Japan Open], where she lost in 1r to Gagliardi, after giving a tough fight in 3 sets. Maria Sharapova’s first year-end ranking was No.186.

Year 2003- For Maria Sharapova, 2003 was a Breakthrough season. This year Maria Sharapova improved 154 spots to No. 32. Maria qualified for first Grand Slams at Australian Open and Roland Garros where Maria Sharapova defeated Beygelzimer in final qualifying round 8-6 third set after trailing 7-6(6) 5-1. After reaching first Tour SF at Birmingham as a qualifier (where Maria defeated world No. 15 Dementieva in QF and lost to Asagoe 7-6 third set), Maria Sharapova broke into Top 100 on June 16, 2003 at No. 88. At Wimbledon, Maria Sharapova equaled best showing by female ‘Wild Card’ in reaching fourth round (preceded by Garrison in1982, A. Smith in 1985 and S. Smith in 1998).
Maria Sharapova defeated world No. 22 Bovina in 2nd round and No.12 Dokic in 3rd round (and this one is Maria Sharapova’s career-best win to date) before falling to compatriot Kuznetsova 7-5 third set. Maria Sharapova was youngest of five Russians in Wimbledon 4th round (a Grand Slam record).
Maria Sharapova extended world No. 2 Clijsters to three sets in Los Angeles 3rd round, following second round US Open exit, reached first Tier II QF at Shanghai where Maria Sharapova lost to Dementieva.
Then at Tokyo [Japan Open], Maria Sharapova picked up career-first Tour singles and doubles titles. In singles, Maria Sharapova defeated Kapros in final after trailing 5-2 in third-set tie-break, having held 2 mp at 5-4 third set, becoming youngest winner on Tour in 2003
Maria Sharapova won doubles with first-time partner Tanasugarn. Maria Sharapova extended win streak with Tanasugarn to eight with doubles title at Luxembourg, where she reached singles semi finals where lost to Clijsters.
In final event of season 2003, seeded No. 2 at Quebec City, won second Tour singles title (Sequera retired in final with left ankle fracture after l. first set 6-2).
On November 3, 2003, Maria Sharapova reached her career-high singles ranking of No. 31. On ITF Circuit, Maria Sharapova won ITF/Sea Island-USA.

Year 2004- This year was another Breakthrough season highlighted by first Grand Slam title for Maria Sharapova.
Season-Ending Championships and Top 5 finish (one of three Russians in Top 5 year-end rankings) as world No.15 (No.13 seed) in just second career Wimbledon (seventh Grand Slam), defeated Eastbourne finalist Hantuchova in third round, No.31 seed Frazier in 4r (who had beaten Roland Garros champion Myskina in third round), No.11 seed Sugiyama 5-7, 7-5, 6-1 in quarter finals, (to reach first Grand Slam SF; Maria Sharapova was five points from defeat in second set), 1999 champion and No.5 seed Davenport 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-1 in SF (first Top 5 win of career after trailing 3-1 second set and standing three points from defeat in tie-break), and two-time defending champion and top seed Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4 in final to become lowest-seeded and second-youngest ladies Wimbledon singles champion in Open Era (fourth youngest at all Grand Slams after Hingis-1997 Australian Open, Seles-1990 Roland Garros and Austin-1979 US Open) and third-youngest all-time at 17 years, two months (Hingis was 16 years, nine months in 1997), as well as first-ever Russian Wimbledon Champion and second female Russian Grand Slam champion. Maria Sharapova had won her third career title and first on grass just two weeks earlier at Birmingham, Maria Sharapova defeating unseeded No.71 Golovin 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in final (third-youngest final in Open Era with combined age of 33 years, five months, behind 1991 San Diego and 1980 Tampa), also winning doubles title (w/Kirilenko). Maria Sharapova qualified for first season-ending Championships as No.6 seed. In RR portion, defeated No.4 Kuznetsova (first win in three meetings) and No.11 Zvonareva, lost to No.2 Mauresmo, qualifying for SF, where she defeated No.3 Myskina in three sets (first time in four meetings) and overcame 4-0 deficit in third set of final vs. 2001 champion No.8 Serena Williams to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, becoming second debutante to win title (Serena Williams-2001).
Maria Sharapova became first player since Davenport in 1999 to win Wimbledon and season-ending Championships in same season.
Another identical Serena Williams vs. Maria Sharapova finals at those two events was first since 1989 and only fifth all-time.
Maria Sharapova also won titles as top seed at Seoul (defeating Domachowska 6-1, 6-1 in final) and Tokyo [Japan Open] (defeating Washington 6-0, 6-1 in final for career-first successful title defense). Maria Sharapova finished as runner-up at Zurich (defeating Venus Williams in QF and No.5 Dementieva in three sets in SF (first Top 10 win since Wimbledon), lost to No.20 Molik in three sets, which ended Maria Sharapova’s 12-match win streak. And that is Maria Sharapova’s only loss in a final in career to date. Maria Sharapova also reached SF at Memphis (lost to Zvonareva), Beijing (lost to Kuznetsova) and Philadelphia where Maria Sharapova avenged the loss to No.13 Molik in three sets in QF, withdrew prior to SF vs. Mauresmo with right shoulder strain. QF at Roland Garros (first Grand Slam QF, d. 2003 quarterfinalist Zvonareva en route, l. to No.14 Suarez) and San Diego (l. to Myskina, ending 14-match win streak); reached 4r at Indian Wells (l. to Myskina) and Miami (l. to S.Williams), and 3r five other times, incl. Australian Open (l. to Myskina), US Open (win vs. Granville in 1r was 100th of career – l. to Pierce) and Rome (d. No.10 Dementieva for career-first Top 10 win); Maria Sharapova began the year 2004 as No.32, made Top 20 debut at No.19 on April 5 after Miami, Top 10 debut at No.8 on July 5 after Wimbledon, and Top 5 debut at (career-high) No.4 at season’s end (November 15). Also Maria Sharapova reached career-high No.41 in doubles on June 14.
Maria Sharapova surpassed $1 million in season earnings on July 5, 2004 after Wimbledon, and $2 million at season’s end, topping the 2004 prize money list with $2,506,263, one of a record five women to earn more than $2 million in 2004.
Maria Sharapova withdrew from Eastbourne and Los Angeles for rest and recovery.