Fun with the Pros

With "Sharapova lookalikes" who looked nothing like her

I had just finished a soccer game with the Russian tennis players, coaches, and Djokovic. The next day I was politely asked to sit the next one out because I play too rough. That's only because I was trying too hard. Those guys were good.

All Access media hour, Indian Wells, 2008

Sergei Fedorov in the Anahaeim Ducks locker room, 2004

Sergei figured out that if he cut off the bottom of a hockey sock, it would make for an original looking and breathable beanie to keep the head warm and cool at once. I suggested he patent it.

Sergei Fedorov celebrates his 1000 points in NHL, 2004

Not the most prolific scorer in Ducks' history, Sergei certainly was the most galmorous. Here we are outside The Catch restaurant getting ready to talk about his 1000 points and the road that led him to the milestone, the first Russian player and only the fourth European to reach the mark. That's his Gelandwagen in the background. It had Michigan plates throughout his stint with Anaheim. I guess deep down he never gave up on Detroit.

Sergei Fedorov as blackjack dealer, 2004

And look who he is dealing to!

Elena Dementieva at Year End WTA Championship in Los Angeles, 2004

Elena is getting ready to race Porsche Cayenne furnished by the title sponsor of the $1 million event held at the Staples Center

Maria Sharapova at the Year End WTA Championship in Los Angeles, 2004

Maria is getting ready to race Porsche Cayenne furnished by the title sponsor of the $1 million event held at the Staples Center

Lindsay Davenport at the Year End WTA Championship in Los Angeles, 2004

Lindsay is getting ready to race Porsche Cayenne furnished by the title sponsor of the $1 million event held at the Staples Center

Maria Sharapova at the Year End WTA Championship in Los Angeles, 2004

Maria riding shotgun to a professional race driver in a Porsche Cayenne furnished by the title sponsor of the $1 million event held at the Staples Center

Four Russian tennis players at the Year End WTA Championship in Los Angeles, 2004

Back when there were 20 Russians in the Top 10 of womens' tennis, as the joke went. Myskina, Zvonareva, Kuznetsova and Dementieva. Sharapova posed as well, but not long enough to capture a perfect shot.

Maria Sharapova at the Year End WTA Championship in Los Angeles, 2004

Maria was given a commemorative Lakers' jersey, and that was before she was crowned champion.

Maria Sharapova at the Year End WTA Championship in Los Angeles, 2004

Maria Sharapova Posing in her Lakers' jersey

Maria Sharapova at the Nike promotional shoot in Los Angeles, 2004

Behind the scenes as Maria is geting readied for the more glamorous of her many sets for her oldest and most loyal sponsor, Nike. Standard Hotel, Los Angeles.

Maria Sharapova at the Nike promotional shoot in Los Angeles, 2004

Behind the scenes as Maria is geting readied for the more glamorous of her many sets for her oldest and most loyal sponsor, Nike. Standard Hotel, Los Angeles.

Alex and Maria in Indian Wells, 2005

Two thoughts: Sharapova is really tall, and men should only wear shorts to the beach.

Maria Sharapova in Indian Wells, CA, 2005

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.

Federer and Agassi at Indian Wells, CA, 2005

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.

Alex in NYC being interview for the documentary about Maria Sharpova, 2015

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.

Maria Sharapova dances the night away in NYC on her 18th birthday, 2005

Maria and a couple hundred of her closest friends flew to NYC to celebrate her coming of age,

Maria Sharapova in NYC on her 18th birthday, 2005

That's a birthday cake!

Maria Sharapova at her 18th birthday, NYC, 2005

Maria, who definitely has a sweet tooth, is starting to pull out candles from the enormous tennis court cake. I had her best friend take this photo for me. Merci beaucoup, Estelle!

Alex and Maria, NYC, 2005

I was always seeing media people asking athletes and other celebrities to take a photo with them (it would be a selfie today). I was always proudly above all that, and now am kicking myself. I was not, however, going to miss out on this shot. Maria's mom Yelena took it, she is the sweetest lady.

Maria Sharapova and friends at her 18th birthday party, NYC, 2005

What girl didn't dream of Maroon 5 to playing her 18th birthday? When you are Sharapova, your dreams come true.

Maroon 5 at Maria Sharapova's 18th birthday party, NYC, 2005

Maroon 5 at Maria Sharapova's 18th birthday party, NYC, 2005

There were juicy rumours about Adam Levine and Maria following the party. None of it was true. Not sure which one of them should have been more flattered.

Maroon 5 at Maria Sharapova's 18th birthday party, NYC, 2005

Maria Sharapova and MTV's Quddus, NYC, 2005

MTV personality Quddus interviews Maria for his show. Nice guy. This is the Gansevoort hotel in the fashionable Meatpacking district and I am a fly on the wall.

Robert Lansdorp, LA, 2005

I interviewed Lansdorp for two hours about his famous students (Sampras, Austin, Davenport, Sharapova), himself and the game of tennis. One of the best interviews I have done. Great guy.

Anna Kournikova, Newport Beach, CA, 2005

Before there was Sharapova, there was Kournikova. For about a year, we, the media, made the mistake of bringing this up to Maria when interviewing her, but she eventually beat it out of us. Here, Anna, still not officially retired from tennis, came to Newport Beach as part of the visiting World Team Tennis (WTT) squad and got the atention she was used to.

Patrick Rafter, Newport Beach, CA, 2005

I did a great interview with Rafter before his WTT macth in Newport Beach. Such a nice guy! He once corrected the judge who screwed up the line call and gave him an undeserved point. He lost the match and says he has mixed feelings about that correction, but doesn't see how he could have not done it. People still talk about it. Sampras won 762 matches, including 12 against Rafter, but who wants to talk about him?

Maria Sharapova and her agent Max Eisenbud at the ESPY Awards, Hollywood, 2005

Following up on her 2004 breakout with a strong 2005, Maria was up for the female athlete of the year at the ESPY awards, but lost out to golf's Annika Sörenstam and had to settle for the best tennis player. Next to her is the man behind many of her athletic and commerical successes, Max Eisenbud of IMG.

Mark Wahlberg at the ESPY Awards, Hollywood, 2005

Looking at this and other blurry shots, I can't help thinking that my gear and my photography have gotten better over the years, but my access to the A-list celebrities has become more limited.

Chyna at the 2005 ESPY Awards, Kodak Theater, Hollywood

I am fairly sure this is Chyna, the professional wrestler. When you are at the red carpet, you shoot those whom others shoot and find out who they are later.

Anastasia Rodionova, Alex Tolkachev and Katerina Bondarenko, Newport Beach, CA, 2005

WTT Newport Beach Breakers had a strong team that year and made the finals. Doubly lucky for me there were not one, not two, but three Russian (or at least Russian speaking) players on the roster. Sharapova is absent from the pciture because she only came once or twice for the marquee matches, but these two were the mainstay, and we did some hanging out together, ostensibly for interviews.

Maria Sharapova before a WTT match in Newport Beach, CA, 2005

This shot is by my friend, one time boss and photography mentor, Bruce Gauger. I got him credentialed for the World Team Tennis event where Sharapova was the big draw, and I was there, so I could have taken this photo, but he did.

Sergei and Fedor Fedorov, Anaheim, 2005

Sergei and his brother Fedor, who came to Anaheim that day as part of a visiting rival team. To play together with his little brother was a declared goal of Sergei's. He briefly got his wish, but Fedor's work ethics did not measure up to NHL standards.

Maria Shapova at the 2005 WTA Champs, Staples Center, LA

That year Sharapova decided she was going to be a handbag designer. This was one of her joint designs with someone who did bags for a living.

Alex with Sergei Fedorov and Kip Brennan at the WTA Year End Champs, Staples Center, LA, 2005

I invited Sergei to join me at the WTA Champs because 1)he knows and loves tennis, having dated a pro tennis player, 2)I was hoping to introduce him to Maria and bring my two favorite atheletes together -- for a story if not for anything bigger. He brought his wingman Brennan with him. I noticed that on every team, Sergei used to befriend the tough guy.

Ilya Bryzgalov, Andrei Arlovsky and Ruslan Salei in Ducks locker room, Anaheim, 2006

Arlovsky was a UFC champ who was gearing up for a fight at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Salei's shiner has nothing to do with Arlovsky or fighting, at least not the ultimate kind. The three Russian speakers were happy to hang out and pose for me.

Sergei Fedorov with Jennifer

Maria Sharapova at Indian Wells, 2006

Always happy to pose for me in one of her many NIke outfits.

Alex with Anastasia Myslina, Indian Wells, 2006