"When I was working my way to the top of tennis, I didn't say I was number two, I said I wanted to be number one."

Maria Sharapova may have grunted and shrieked her way to the top in many people's eyes but she has done it - and, as always, she has done it in style. There will always be jealous factions around the Russian due to her glamorous off-court moneymaking lifestyle, but is it fair to judge her on such things alone?

Sharapova was born in Nyagan in Siberia, Russia, one year after her parents Yuri and Yelena decided to move from Belarus following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Not the most glamorous of starts for the infant.

'I actually get the impression of a rather witty and intelligent young woman with an aggressive enough attitude to compete at the top for a long time'


There is an icy determination about Sharapova's style of play, her conduct with the media and her off-court activities. Her endorsements have earned her considerably more money than tournament play. Neither she nor her family will want for money again.

The quote at the start of this piece shows her steely determination to reach the top, which she did in 2005. She was the first Russian ever to be ranked number one in tennis. It only lasted for only one week.

Mats Wilander once called her a "mindless basher". However, three Grand Slam victories surely points to a talent far more intelligent and complete than that.

Often reviled by fellow Russian tennis players, Sharapova has split the opinion of fans, players and experts. Her appearance in magazines such as Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue - in which she dominated six pages - and the fact she was voted the hottest athlete in the world by Maxim readers have hardly made her the most popular woman on the tennis circuit. The male spectator thinks, of course, that Sharapova can do no wrong - and who can blame them.

There are good and bad sides for the WTA with Sharapova in the limelight. The global appeal of tennis is accentuated and attendances and viewing figures go up thanks to the Russian. But does tennis really need Sharapova?

Of course it does. She is controversial with her underhand tactics - her father coaching her from the stalls, calling for her trainer or changing a racket before crucial points - but Serena Williams and Justine Henin are guilty of these crimes too. Grunting to put opposing players off at decisive points? It's all part and parcel of the game. It must be, otherwise she would be found guilty and punished.

Sharapova flirted only very briefly with top spot, but she has been floating around the top tier for years now with 18 career titles under her belt. Should it be more? Possibly, although I think she has found perfect balance in both of her careers.

Roland Garros remains elusive and the fact that she is a power baseliner does not help her on the slower clay courts. After a reporter asked how she felt following a second-round victory there, recovering from a pre-tournament injury Sharapova replied: "I feel terrible. I feel like a cow on ice - especially on clay."

I actually get the impression of a rather witty and intelligent young woman with an aggressive enough attitude to compete at the top for a long time. An honest person, too. Perhaps not honest in some of her tactics at winning but is anyone 100 per cent squeaky clean?

In each of her Grand Slam wins, Sharapova has not lost a set. For a girl who has an extremely busy schedule on and off the court in a female tennis world that, at the minute, is highly competitive, she is holding her own well.

Perhaps it's just me but I find her brash cheek quite refreshing. At a press conference after the 2006 Australian Open, Sharapova retorted: "I know this is your job, but put your notepads and your pencils down, take your grunt-o-meters down, the fashion police, put it all away and just watch the match."

I think that Sharapova's attitude towards everything that she attempts in life is first class and if there are people or players who can't stand her because of her wealth and success then it's a real shame.

As always in life, if such people concentrated on their own situation instead of attempting to disrupt others I'm quite sure they would be a hell of a lot happier.