Not Untrue: Maria Sharapova is Russian
In response to those who say that Maria Sharapova does not play in the Federation Cup for Russia because she doesn’t want to, the tennis player says, “Untrue!”
“There are so many rumours about me which are untrue and that’s one of them,” she said. “Some of them are so untrue you just have to laugh at them.
“It’s quite untrue that I don’t want to play for Russia. I have a Russian heart,” insisted the 19-year-old who has lived for most of the past decade in Florida, with increasing gossip that she might become a naturalised American.
“I play for my country,” Sharapova went on. “When you see the draw at a tournament you see my country, Russia, next to my name.
“Unfortunately in my career I don’t get as much time to spend there as I would like, but when I go that’s where I feel like I belong.
So there you go. It’s all been cleared up.
(source via Pro Tennis Fan)
I’m so glad she cleared that up. Ahem :)
I think like many players, it’s probably more a money issue than a country one. Maybe a question of WTA rankings as well. Playing in a tournament will get you money prizes and WTA points. Playing the Fed Cup will get you neither (if I remember correctly, or rather, you might get money depending if the country’s tennis federation decides to award you some of you win or not).
And there’s also a truckload of politics that comme into the equation.