Maria Sharapova

In the highly competitive sport of professional tennis, Maria Sharapova's journey to become one of the top players in the world symbolizes her determination, grit and champion's desire to win. Her story is one of sacrifice, focus and extraordinary talent. An only child, Maria was born on April 19, 1987, in the Russian industrial town of Nyagan in western Siberia. Her parents had relocated from Gomel, Russia, to escape the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. In 1989, the Sharapovas moved again to the Black Sea resort town of Sochi; it was here that Maria developed a love of tennis. Watching her father Yuri on the courts, four-year-old Maria learned to play using a second-hand racket. Yuri quickly recognized and nurtured his daughter's exceptional talent. In October 1993, her gift was confirmed from an unexpected source. Maria and Yuri were attending tennis clinics held in Moscow during the Kremlin Cup when Martina Navratilova happened to spot the six-year-old hitting balls on the court. Maria's form and shots stood among the mostly older children. "She has talent," the legendary champion commented to Yuri - and he took her words to heart. Struggling with how to help Maria reach her potential, Yuri and his wife Yelena decided to take a chance and seek world-class coaching for their daughter. In pursuit of this dream, Maria and Yuri boarded an airplane to the United States in March 1995, leaving Yelena behind in Russia to finish college and await a visa. The odds were against the two from the moment they touched down in Miami: neither spoke English and Yuri had just $700 in his pocket, money he had borrowed from Maria's grandparents. Several days and many bus rides later, six-year-old Maria and Yuri arrived uninvited at IMG's Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Although the Academy's coaches immediately recognized Maria's talent, she was too young to be enrolled as a full-time student. Yet Yuri was not discouraged. Believing in his daughter's talent, he settled in nearby Venice and coached Maria on public and private tennis courts. For two difficult years, Yuri worked odd jobs while Maria competed in local tournaments and began to accumulate victories. In December 1995, perseverance paid off -- Maria received a scholarship to the Academy and became a full-time student. The nine-year-old lived on the prestigious campus for seven months, seeing her father only on weekends. Her separation from him, combined with constant teasing by dorm-mates nearly twice her age, forever impacted Maria but also intensified her resolve to succeed. After obtaining a U.S. visa, Yelena finally reunited with Maria and Yuri in June 1996. Maria moved out of the dorms and into an apartment with her parents while she continued to perfect her tennis skills at the academy. In November 2000, 13-year-old Maria exploded onto the world tennis stage with an impressive win in the Girls' 16-and-under Eddie Herr Championships. Her first professional tournament quickly followed in April 2001 and her first WTA tournament in 2002. In a highly competitive sport where many try but few succeed, Maria Sharapova's drive and determination will inspire young girls for years to come. From her 2004 Wimbledon championship, to being the first Russian female to ever claim the #1 ranking in the world, to being the fifth youngest female to ever hold the #1 spot, to her growing list of corporate endorsements, Maria symbolizes what hard work, world-class training and unwavering commitment can achieve: a front-row seat on the world's stage.









































































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How to pick up a girl?

Sometimes picking up a girl may seem to be embarrassing, difficult and impossible especially if you are doing it for the first time. For most men it is not easy to approach a girl. So is it that hard to pick up a girl?











I think if you are confident, skillful, articulate, have sufficient courage, and are armed with the right techniques then it is not that difficult to approach or pick up a girl.











There are several things you need to take into consideration. Be positive:














Women do not like men who are pessimists and have a negative approach to life. Actually nobody like people like that. Hence, it is necessary to have a positive attitude and show it when it comes to picking up a girl.











Smile:




















"A smile increases your face value", and surprisingly it costs nothing. Therefore, especially while approaching any girl, smile constantly.











Utilize What You Have: Most men dwell on what they don't possess. They feel that they don't have the charm and seductive attraction some guys have. Sometimes they regret that they don't have a nice body.











But haven't you seen many men who are good looking but don't have any girl. Be confident and try to capitalize on the assets that you have! Make Her Laugh: Making your woman laugh will do the trick. Laughter attracts women easily and in less time. If you are successful in making her laugh a lot, you have already won the battle.











Don't Fear Rejection:



















Most men remain unsuccessful in the task of picking up a girl because they fear rejection. The fear of rejection is the main cause behind the failure. Take every rejection as the next step to success and learn from your mistakes.











Every time you get rejected, you are moving one level up, because once you become comfortable with girls saying no, your fear of rejection will be gone. So instead of getting hurt, be confident after every rejection. Remember, the guys who get rejected the most are the ones who leave with the most numbers!











Be A Good Listener: It always pays to be a good listener. Observe the things she is saying as well as your surroundings. Stop worrying about what to say next and focus your attention on listening.











During the conversation, always make a direct eye contact with her. Believe me she will give you leads about what she would like to talk about, in essence, telling you want to say next.











Increase A Women's Interest:


















If a woman is interested in carrying on a conversation with you or meeting with you, you have actually won half the battle.











You must concentrate on indulging in a conversation she would be interested in. Never fake it. Try to speak about a general topic, a situation or try to listen to her opinions on something really interesting.











Gain Respect: Remember that a woman would never like to sleep with a man she does not respect. It is necessary to gain respect by showing respect to a woman and making her realize that you genuinely like her company. Get Her Phone Number: Getting the phone number or contact details of a girl is important when it comes to picking her up. Now this is a difficult and time-consuming task. You must work hard in order to be successful in your goal.











Use Good Pick Up Lines:


















When picking up a girl, you can never go wrong with a great pick up line. The best way to start a conversation with a woman is to say "hi". This is the best opening line.











Now, once she responds, try to proceed further. For example, if you are at a music concert, a theater or a sports arena. You can continue the conversation by saying

































Now, if a woman is near you, you need to try out the famous 'goodbye introduction'. You can start with "Hi, I am just leaving. But before I do, I would like to introduce myself to the most wonderful woman around". And then see the result.











Perhaps it could become one of the best pick up lines. There are bright chances that she would show some interest (that otherwise was not possible) and you will get introduced to each other. Before leaving you can ask, "Nice talking to you. I'd like to talk to you again, is there a number I can reach you at?"











Believe me guys this always works and brings much better results. There is hardly any girl that would say "no", because you are giving her a chance and just asking her number to reach at. So use this technique to pick up any girl of your choice, and see the result.











Why? Because here her left-brain starts working and she would be under some hypnotic mode where she can't afford to say "no" because that will mean there is not a number that she can be reached at.











Moreover, it also makes you more original than every other idiot that asks for her number directly.












No doubt, the question how to pick up a girl seems to be difficult and it really is. However, you can simplify it by utilizing the powers you have, and following the tips and techniques mentioned above. All the best!

credited by Alexander Faust