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Anna Kournikova and Maria Sharapova, Maria Kirilenko and Venus Williams, kournikova, hot, sexy, tennis, davis cup, signed, autographs, tournament, wallpapers, bikini photo shoot, wimbledon, us open, SI, sports illustrated, prince, nike, canon, videos
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“I don’t follow other players or the tournaments they play. I have my own schedule and do my own thing. I never really think, 'Oh, I want to be or play like so-and-so.' I just like being myself” |
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Posted on Feb 18 / 2007 / 12:45 PM 
The United Nations development aid agency has appointed tennis star Maria Sharapova as a goodwill ambassador. From U.N. headquarters, VOA's Peter Heinlein reports Ms. Sharapova made a cash donation to help with Chernobyl recovery projects.
Maria Sharapova has come a long way in her 19 years. Now she wants to go back to her roots.
The world's top-ranked women's tennis player signed a letter Wednesday committing herself to promoting United Nations aid programs as a celebrity goodwill ambassador.
The teenage tennis sensation has lived in the United States for most of her life. But she was born in Soviet Siberia in 1987, and remains a Russian citizen. Her parents had moved to Siberia to escape the fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident a year earlier, near their home in what is now Belarus. Her grandmother still lives in the Belarus town of Gomel, just across the Ukrainian border from Chernobyl.
She said one of her reasons for wanting to become a goodwill ambassador is her concern for the forgotten victims of Chernobyl.
"I was born in Siberia and I moved from Siberia when I was two years old because of Chernobyl, because both of my parents thought for my safety and the radiation that it was not right for me to live there," she said. "So that's why it means so much to me to be part of project because I was part of it as well."
Sharapova handed a check for $100,000 to U.N. Development Program official Ad Melkert. She says the money will be used to help residents in and around Chernobyl.
"This money is going to go toward computer centers in the affected areas of Chernobyl," she said. "They're going to go to sports centers, family hospitals. Places like that."
The UNDP's Melkert said Sharapova's presence will help to shine a spotlight on efforts to help the world poorest.
"We struggle with the knowledge that one billion people don't even have access to a glass of drinkable water, and two billion people do not have access to electricity, and therefore we must work with the private sector, with foundations, with individuals," she said.
Like any teenager, Sharapova giggled when she was introduced to a packed news conference as the U.N.'s newest celebrity goodwill ambassador. Her first reaction was an expression of wonder at her surroundings.
"This is my first time here to this headquarters, and I just got to see all the different settings you see on TV, so it's pretty cool to sit in a chair and feel official for a little bit," she said.
As a UNDP goodwill ambassador, Sharapova joins several other celebrity envoys. Others include Norway's Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, Japanese actress Misako Konno, along with three soccer stars, Ronaldo of Brazil, Zinedine Zidane of France, and Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast.
For her services, the world's highest paid female athlete will earn a salary of $1 a year.
Comments: 26 reactions
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Slideshow: Photos for Feb 18 / 2007 / 12:45 PM |
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Comment on article
MASHA,
WHAT A GREAT ATTITUDE TOWARDS HELPING THE HUMAN NEEDS ON EARTH WITH YOUR GOOD HEART DESIRE AND COMPASSION!
LOVE,
WESTER |
by WESTER MORAES - BRAZIL on Feb 18 / 2007 / 1:51 PM | |
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Thank you for your generosity by helping victims of radiation. Congratulations on becoming a Good Will Ambassador!  |
by fidokitty on Feb 18 / 2007 / 5:58 PM | |
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Gppd work, Maria. Love you loads. Good luck in you next matches all the way. |
by Wilson on Feb 19 / 2007 / 12:17 PM | |
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MASHA,
I CAN BE OF SOME ASSISTANCE TO UN.
LOVE,
WESTER |
by WESTER MORAES - BRAZIL on Feb 19 / 2007 / 2:41 PM | |
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in Dubai it was not recovered of the injury. The one who does know in that tilt will return to play?  |
by mumbru on Feb 19 / 2007 / 4:47 PM | |
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Hey Maria, Love you weekly writings. You are so American. Glad you are gaining your helth back and had a great time in NY. I hope you know just how much you are admired by young people all over the world. Also, good luck on your workouts and playing tennis. |
by Roy on Feb 20 / 2007 / 4:29 PM | |
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Hello Maria! Thanks for your generosity by helping victims of radiation. Very nice of you. BTW: You are the only one at no. 1.(ATP)who didn´t won a tournament, when you were number one. First in 2005, and now i 2007. (10 wks.)That is what I call NOT dazzling!!!!
Justine H.-H. and Amelíe Mauresmo are better right now. Maybe also Anna Chaz. from Moskau is better right now - and how about Patty Schnyder and Martina Hingis??? So hurry up and take a come-back next week. We all know, that you are very weak at Berlin (botton-sheet/clay, Rome and French Open. Hope to see you very soon again.Good Luck. |
by H. Carlsson on Feb 21 / 2007 / 11:17 AM | |
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i congratule to behave.your helps is very important to need help. |
by yesill on Feb 21 / 2007 / 2:32 PM | |
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H.Carl son: In Rome and Roland Garros you can take a surprise to you. Maria has a game that every time will make her stronger in tilts of thys tipe. And it must return when it is cured. Before not. Que digo que la María cada vez jugará mejor sobre tierra batida. Como no suele subir a la red... y le pega fuerte y con precisión(casi siempre)!!  |
by mumbru on Feb 21 / 2007 / 5:44 PM | |
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sos lo mejor maria a love te quiero sos lo mas numero 1 ======
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by evelin de argentina on Feb 23 / 2007 / 1:45 AM | |
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Henin in the final of Dubai. Is thi number one of Maria in danger?  |
by mumbru on Feb 23 / 2007 / 4:37 PM | |
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not it danger. Gracias Fernando. - |
by mumbru on Feb 25 / 2007 / 1:04 AM | |
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hi masha
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by mannan on Feb 26 / 2007 / 4:38 PM | |
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test |
by marco on Mar 03 / 2007 / 12:15 PM | |
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Dear Maria. You are a generosity teenager with pretty legs and body (forget it here), because in WTA´s ranking you are (today) still no. 1 - but you can beat Justine Henin, Amelie Mauresmo, Patty Schnyder (she is better today than ever) and Jelena Jankovic...and maybe øhhh Serene Williams 6-1, 6-2.
You are still the only no. 1, who didn´t win/won a tournament, when you are no. 1 (2005) and (2007). You have lost to Justine H. in Madrid (WM championships), Kim Clijsters (show and training) in HongKong, Serena Williams (6-1, 6-2) in Australian Open. One step better this year than 2005 and 2006 - but three back again after the final. The last one: To Ana Ivanovic in Tokyo. Uha-da-da...
So what are you doing the next month? Playing powerballs on the beach? Playing games in Costa Rica? Or losing in two big tournaments in US? No - I am not against you. I like you most of all the womens in ATP - but you are a luxusgirl, every time you lose to a player. Am I right??? |
by Dennis Hansson on Mar 04 / 2007 / 2:43 AM | |
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Maria-Sharapova.org seems to contrast to MariaSharapova.com and I'm assuming that this is a Tennis Channel web-stie. |
by Chris Baum on Mar 05 / 2007 / 5:30 PM | |
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Huge mistake. The UN is a ghastly corrupt organisation that causes far more problems than it cures. |
by Perry on Mar 11 / 2007 / 3:18 AM | |
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Maria Sharapova may still have mental fatigue but from what? No, really......what? |
by Chris Baum on Mar 11 / 2007 / 10:30 PM | |
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hi
my msn saif_sport2005@hotmail.com of you wanna chat with me enter in my ms n |
by saif on Jun 05 / 2007 / 10:09 PM | |
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Nous avons bésoin l'e-mail de l'Ambassadeur MARIA SHARAPOVA car nous avons besoin d'elle pour lui présenter les actions de notre association au RWANDA. Grand merci Jean Maurice NSANZIMANA |
by ANEVORWA (Actions d'aide aux Nécessiteux, Veuves et Orphelins au Rwanda) ASBL on Sep 12 / 2009 / 8:22 PM | |
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