AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2007 (WOMEN)

BACKGROUND

Birthdate: September 26, 1981
Birthplace: Saginaw, Michigan
Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Height/Weight: 5’10”/145lbs
Plays: Right-handed
Highest WTA Ranking: 1 (July 2002)





INTERESTING FACTS

Won the 2003 Wimbledon title for the second-consecutive year.
By winning the 2003 Australian Open achieved an historic ‘Serena Slam’ - winning all four Grand Slam tournaments in a row.
Became the #1 ranked player in the world on July 8, 2002 – the first time sisters have both achieved the #1 ranking.
Won the Australian Open 2001 doubles title with sister Venus to complete a career doubles Grand Slam.
When her sister Venus won 2000 Wimbledon to join Serena, who won the 1999 US Open, as a Grand Slam winner, it marked the first time in tennis history that two sisters each won a Grand Slam singles title.
Won the gold medal in doubles at the 2000 Olympics with her sister Venus, becoming the first sisters to win the Olympic doubles event, and stretched their doubles match winning streak to 22, where it ended.
From July through October 15, 2000, she or her sister Venus won eight of the nine tournaments they entered (Serena retired during the final of the Canadian Open).
Having not won any Sanex WTA TOUR singles titles previous to 1999, won five including the US Open; also in 1999, won three doubles titles, including two Grand Slams; earned over $2 million in prize money and reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 after starting the year at No. 20.
Seeded seventh, upset No. 1 Martina Hingis, No. 2 Lindsey Davenport and No. 4 Monica Seles en route to her first career Grand Slam singles title at the 1999 U.S. Open, becoming the lowest seed to win the women’s title in the Open Era (since 1968), the sixth American woman in the Open Era to win, and the second black woman ever to win a Grand Slam singles title (Althea Gibson won five, her last coming at the 1958 U.S. Championships); in winning seven matches for the title, won four consecutive three-set matches; also won the doubles title with sister Venus, becoming the fifth woman in the Open Era to win both singles and doubles in the same year at the U.S. Open.
HIGHLIGHTS



Celebrating with 2005 Australian OpenTrophy
© TPL


2005 Australian Open (singles) - Champion

2004 China Open (singles) - Champion
2004 NASDAQ-100 Open (singles) - Champion
2003 Wimbledon (singles) - Champion
2003 Australian Open (singles and doubles) - Champion
2002 Sparkassen Cup (singles) - Champion
2002 Princess Cup (singles) - Champion
2002 US Open (singles) - Champion
2002 Wimbledon (singles & doubles) - Champion
2002 French Open (singles) - Champion
2002 Italian Open (singles) - Champion
2002 Nasdaq-100 Open(singles) - Champion
2002 State Farm Tennis Classic (singles) – Champion
2001 Sanex Championship (singles) - Champion
2001 US Open (singles) - Finalist
2001 Indian Wells (singles) - Champion
2001 Australian Open (doubles) - Champion
2000 Wimbledon (doubles) – Champion
2000 Olympics (doubles) – Champion
1999 U.S. Open (singles & doubles) – Champion
1999 French Open (doubles) – Champion
1999 Paris Indoors (singles) – Champion
1999 Indian Wells (singles) – Champion
1999 Los Angeles (singles) – Champion
1999 Grand Slam Cup (singles) – Champion

ENDORSEMENTS


McDonald's
Nike
Wilson Racquet Sports



Six feet tall, muscular and blonde, Sharapova turned pro in 2001 at the young age of 14. The tennis prodigy and her father had moved from Russia to Florida when she was nine so that Sharapova could study at the tennis academy of Nick Bollettieri. Sharapova steadily worked her way up through the pro ranks, claiming her first WTA victory at the 2003 AIG Japan Open. Meanwhile she took occasional modelling jobs, earning comparisons to Anna Kournikova for what the British paper The Guardian called her "much admired features." In 2004 Sharapova stunned the tennis world by defeating defending champion Serena Williams in the singles finals at Wimbledon to win the tournament at age 17. Sharapova's name is pronounced sha-ra-POH-vuh... Nyagan is part of Siberia, hence her nickname of "the Siberian Siren"... She also has been called "the Queen of Screams" for her habit of grunting loudly while hitting the ball. The Evening Standard claimed to have measured Sharapova's vocalizations at Wimbledon in 2004, and reported that "At its worst, her grunting hit 86.3 decibels - the same as standing beside a high-revving motorcycle, or the screech from a gibbon in the zoo"... According to the WTA Tour website, Sharapova "Enjoys reading books in the Sherlock Holmes and Pippi Longstocking series." http://www.gorgeousmariasharapova.com/





Beberapa minggu belakangan ini aku asyik2nya nonton Tennis Match Australian Open 2007. Pertama2 yang bikin aku heboh nonton beginian yaitu pemain tennis favo ku yaitu 'si gajah' Serena Williams. Setiap kali dia main PASTI SERU...soalnya badannya dia itu gendut gede...tapi lincah ...and pukulannya MANTAP!!! najong...and manis2 gitu orangnya..



Dan, lebih mencengangkan lagi...di babak final (aku nulis ginian sambil nonton TV babak FINAL) Serena di 'pasangkan' dengan pemain favo ku yang lain, siapa lagi kalau bukan si hottie Maria Sharapova...

FU8K!!!!!!! EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SERENA MENANG 2 SETTTTTTTTT (6 - 1 and 6 - 2) ya ampunnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!! GILA hahahahahahahah SELAMAT SELAMAT!! Kembalinya si 'gajah'!! YEAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GILAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HEBAT...
Si Serena padahal Rank 81 di dunia, and Maria Rank 2...tapi kali ini karena dia menang (SERENA) dia naik peringkat jadi peringkat 14 dunia...ehehe!! GILA!! MANTEB


YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!! SERENA MENANG!!

PS: Aku suka banget waktu Maria Sharapova kasih kata sambutan, dia begitu supportive and benar2 baik sama Serena, and benar2 sportif and professional.......BAGUS...you're the champion too