Sharapova Will Be Playing Under Her Normal Name After All

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 21st August 2013

French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros

Sharapova Will Be Playing Under Her Normal Name After All

epa03736692 Maria Sharapova of Russia posing with her second place trophy aftere losing her final match against Serena Williams of the USA in action during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 08 June 2013. EPA/YOAN VALAT |

Whether Maria Sharapova’s attempt to change her name to Sugarpova for the duration of the upcoming US Open was all just a publicity stunt must forever more be simply a matter for conjecture. And if that was the object of the exercise, nobody can deny it was an unprecedented success. But the world no.3 and former champion of the year’s concluding Grand Slam event will be playing under her normal name after all.

The story was originally broken by Tennis Correspondent Neil Harman, writing for The Times of London; a distinguished newspaper of record. And Sharapova’s manager at IMG, Max Eisenbud, remains insistent that serious thought was given to applying to Florida’s Supreme Court (Sharapova’s official state of residence as she has a home near Bradenton).

However, according to Eisenbud, who is Sugarpova’s chief executive officer as well as dealing with the business affairs of Sharapova, Li Na and now Britain’s upwardly moving Laura Robson, maintained the process of the temporary name change would have been ‘too much hassle’. “

“We ultimately decided against it,” maintained Eisenbud as the world’s media sought clarification on the matter.

“We were really considering it. Sugarpova is about having fun and we don’t want to do the traditional boring marketing like a billboard. I think you need try new and fun things.”

Eisenbud continued: “Maria has pushed her team to do fun, out-of-the-box-type things to get the word out about Sugarpova.

“In Miami, we’re going to fill a glass truck full of candy and drive it around town. This was an idea that fell along those lines. But, at the end of the day, we would have to change all her identification, she has to travel to Japan and China right after the tournament and it was going to be very difficult.”

Sharapova is resident in the United States on a Green card but remains a Russian citizen. So the actual process of a name change, albeit temporary, would have been a long and laborious process that would not have been possible in the three working days that remained before the official start of the US Open.

She would have to file an official petition in Florida’s capital Tallahassee, submit fingerprints, have a background check and then have appear in a hearing before a judge. Most certainly not the sort of preparation a leading player want before one of the most important tennis tournaments of the year.

Today The Times of London decided discretion was the best policy and avoided any follow up to the story that galvanized the world’s media into action.

Earlier this year the newspaper’s hierarchy was less than pleased when Football Correspondent Oliver Kay was duped into writing a high profile story that the Middle East state of Qatar was proposing to use its’ riches from oil and gas to run a Dream Football League.