Maria Sharapova is taking a marketing page from the examples of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal by also building her personal brand into South American as the top women’s tennis icon plays an exhibition on December 6 in the Colombian capital of Bogata.
Local organizers were quick to boast of how far ahead they planned the big event, “It is true, Maria Sharapova will play in an exhibition match on Dec. 6 in Colombia, in Bogota. The deal was done in December of last year,” one told Spanish agency Efe.
Reports say that the wildly popular Sharapova will be making her first trip to the once rough-and-ready nation after turning down various offers in previous years.
Officials are still seeking an opponent now that they have the headliner nailed down contractually. Two possible candidates: Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki. There seems to be quite a bit of planning still to be done, with organizers admitting that they do not yet have a venue booked.,
Federer took his tennis to three South American nations in December and earned a reported $14 million for an effort of less than a week. Nadal is just off a three-week run in the region on clay as part of his slow return to tennis after knee injuries. Former great Pete Sampras plus Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga have all made well-paid visits in recent years.
©Daily Tennis News Wire
Topics: Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Maria Sharapova, Novak Djokovic, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, South American tennis news, Sports, Tennis News