Following a Wimbeldon and Year-End Championship wins in 2004, Sharapova was voted the athlete of the year in Russia. My newspaper put her on the cover and shipped several copies to me. I gave one to Maria next time I saw her at the Indian Wells tournament. She posed for me with thewspaper, I sent the photo to the newspaper, and the next issue came out with Maria on the cover holding the photo of Maria on the cover. Pretty weird, but also pretty exciting.
Top ATP and WTA players participated in the night charity match on the middle Saturday at the popular Indian Wells tournament. It boasts the highest attendance after the Grand Slams and Miami.
I was invited to NYC in 2005 to help celebrate Maria Sharapova's 18th birthday. A film about her life and career was being made, and they wanted me in it as the representative of the Russian media.
