Maria Sharapova became the firstRussian woman to reach world number one on Monday when she officially replaced injured American Lindsay Davenport at the top of the WTA rankings.Despite relinquishing her Wimbledon title earlier this year, the 18-year-old Siberian has still won three tournaments so far this season and amassed enough points to topple Davenport and fulfill her life-long dream.However, while Sharapova’s good looks and determination have earned the Florida-based Russian million-dollar endorsements and made her a global phenomenon, she remains something of an enigma back home.Most Russians still perceive her as made-in-America rather than a home-grown heroine.Sharapova’s foreign upbringing and reluctance to represent Russia in competition or even visit her native land have also contributed to her isolation.At the age of nine, she Left her mother in Russia and went to the United States with her father Yuri to pursue her dream.She has repeatedly turned down offers to play for Russia in the Fed Cup, saying her main goal this year was to become world number one rather than help her country win the most prestigious team competition.Fellow top Russian players, such as Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anastasia Myskina, have not embraced Sharapova as one of their own, giving her the cold shoulder in comments to the press.Last year, Sharapova was involved in a well-publicised feud with Myskina when the former French Open champion accused the new number one’s father of being disrespectful to her during the season-ending WTA Tour Championships.At last year’s Fed Cup finals in Moscow, Myskina said that she would stop playing for Russia if Sharapova was invited to join the team next year.“If she (Sharapova) joins our team next season you won’T see me there for sure,” the fiery Muscovite told local media.US Open champion Kuznetsova and the rest of Russia’s Fed Cup team have supported Myskina’s stance.“I think this year’s team has a great spirit and all the girls are very supportive of each other,” the then world number five said. “I don’t know if we’re going to have the same camaraderie in the future.”Kuznetsova also added spice to the long-running saga of "us against them" by publicly acknowledging her dislike of Sharapova.When asked who was the most popular Russian player worldwide, she said with a wry grin: "Sharapova of course —- but I don’T know if you would call her Russian though. She is more American then Russian. She speaks Russian with a coarse accent."Russia Fed Cup captain Shamil Tarpishchev has tried to play down the rift between his players but people close to the team say the divide is much deeper than it seems at first glance."They (the players) are just jealous of Sharapova," a source within the Russian Tennis Federation told Reuters last November. "They resent her sudden fame and fortune." Little has changed since.Sharapova, who regularly plays smaller tournaments in Asia,Europe and Australia, has been noticeably absent from the $1.3 million Kremlin Cup for the last few years.Last month, Moscow organisers announced that Sharapova would play in her native country for the first time, giving Russian fans the chance to finally witness their biggest star in person.The Climb to the top: A Fact Box Born: April 19, 1987 in Nyagan, Russia.1996: Moves to Florida to train at Nick Bollettieri's Tennis.2001: Turns professional.2002: Receives wildcard for Indian Wells event, aged 14 Years and 10 months. Ends year ranked 186.2003: Qualifies for Australian Open and French Open. Reaches Fourth round at Wimbledon, a record-equalling performance by a female wildcard entry. Moves up to32.2004: January: Reaches third round of Australian Open as Number 28 seed, losing in three sets to number six seed and fellow Russian Myskina.May: Reaches quarter-final of French Open as number 18seed.June: Wins Wimbledon, beating Lindsay Davenport in the Semi-finals and defending champion Serena Williams In the final to become second youngest ladies singles champion in Open era after Hingis.August: Loses in third round of U.S. Open to Mary Pierce.November: Beats Serena Williams in final of the end-of-season WTA Tour Championships.2005: January: Seeded fourth, reaches Australian Open Semi-finals, where she is beaten by eventual champion Serena Williams despite having three match points.June: Her reign as Wimbledon champion is ended by Venus Williams in the semi-finals.August: Becomes the first Russian woman to reach the top of the World rankings.
