SportBuzz: Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova announced on her Web site Friday that she will not play again this season, ending speculation that she might come back for the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships Nov. 4-9 in Doha, Qatar.

Powerful, blonde and over six feet tall, Maria Sharapova was only 17 when she won the prestigious Wimbledon tennis tournament in 2004.

At the grass court tournament in Birmingham, United Kingdom, she reached the semifinals of a main tour event for the first time, defeating top seed and World No. 15 Elena Dementieva en route for her first win over a Top 20 player.

In 2004, at the age of 17, she won Wimbledon, defeating Serena Williams in the final.

Sharapova’s loss in a semifinal of the 2005 U.S. Open against Kim Clijsters marked the fourth time that year she had lost at a Grand Slam tournament to the eventual champion: Australian Open-SF-Serena Williams, French Open-QF-Justine Henin-Hardenne, Wimbledon-SF-Venus Williams, U.S. Open-SF-Clijsters.

Cole Haan, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NIKE, Inc., today announced Maria Sharapova as a lead collaborator and the face of Cole Haan Sporting, a new collection for Spring 2009, rooted in sport and remixed with fashion.

Sharapova stunned the tennis world by defeating defending champion Serena Williams in the singles finals at Wimbledon in 2004.

Her limitations on this surface are reflected in her career results, as she did not win a WTA tour title on clay until April 2008 and because the French Open is the only Grand Slam singles title she has not yet won.

Media Post says the tennis star will take the wraps off five diamond-studded Cannon PowerShot Elph cameras at an invitation-only event taking place at the Canon Center Court.

Sharapova has won three Grand Slam singles titles.

Sharapova is 6′2″ tall, according to her profile from the WTA Tour… Her name is pronounced shah-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.

During the next two weeks, Sharapova won the Tier IV tournament in Seoul, South Korea and successfully defended her Japan Open Tennis Championships title in Tokyo.

But while Maria is out, Maria’s Day and Night Dresses are in, and ready for their Big Apple debut.

, Mariya Yur’yevna Sharapova; born April 19, 1987 is a former World No. 1 Russian professional tennis player.

Maria Sharapova is busy this season, and although she won’t be competing in the Olympics or U.S. Open due to an shoulder injury, she will be unveiling a few luxury gadgets at New York’s South Street Seaport on August 20.

As the final tournament of the summer, the US Open is known for its Grand Slam level of competition and focus on personal style of the stars both in the stands and on the court.

Sharapova has won two Grand Slam singles titles.

Her opponent in the final was two-time defending champion Serena Williams, with Williams an overwhelming favorite based on her higher seeding and greater experience.

She also won three titles on the ITF Circuit and played her first matches on the main WTA Tour, including winning a match at the Tier I Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, California before losing to Monica Seles in the second round.

Defending her Wimbledon title in 2005, Sharapova reached the semifinals without losing a set but then was well beaten by a rejuvenated Venus Williams.