Maria Sharapova’s Switch to O3 White Creates Season to Remember
Sharapova to Play Sony Ericsson WTA Championship for Chance at No. 1
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11/07/06 - Bordentown, NJ – Change is rarely easy. In tennis, it takes an extraordinary racquet for a touring pro to switch. In January, Maria Sharapova found a racquet – Prince’s O3 White – that made the switch easy.
Sharapova will take the O3 White to Madrid for the Sony Ericsson WTA Championship as she looks for her sixth victory this year and the year-end No. 1 ranking.
“I was excited when Prince came to me with the new technology, and it has turned out to be a very positive decision,” Sharapova said. “When I started playing with the O3 White, I could feel a big difference. It is a really stable racquet and I feel like I can go for every shot and hit more winners.”
After switching, Sharapova won tour titles at Indian Wells, San Diego, Zurich and Linz and her second career Grand Slam at the U.S. Open. Her U.S. Open win was the first Grand Slam singles title for Prince O3 Technology.
"We congratulate Maria on her magical season,” said Linda Glassel, vice president of marketing at Prince. “The fact that a player at the top of her game switched to the industry’s hottest new technology makes a big statement about the power of design and engineering to improve performance. We are proud to have her as a member of the Prince family, and we wish her the best of luck in Madrid.”
After winning five tournaments in 2006, Sharapova can overtake Amelie Mauresmo of France and move into No. 1 if she wins the Sony Ericsson Championship. Sharapova is no stranger to the No. 1 ranking, reaching the plateau during the 2005 season after winning her first career Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2004.
“It has always been a dream of mine to finish at No. 1,” Sharapova said. “I am confident and feel like I have the game to do it. Physically, I’m moving well and the racquet feels good in my hands.”
The O3 White, the best selling racquet on the market according to the 3Q SMS/TIA Specialty Retail Audit, is available at tennis specialty stores nationwide. For more information about O3 Technology, visit www.princetennis.com.
About Maria Sharapova
Born on April 19, 1987, in Siberia, Russia, Maria Sharapova moved to the United States to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. She turned professional in 2001, and has won 15 WTA singles titles, including Wimbledon in 2004 and the U.S. Open in 2006. Sharapova also has four finals and 16 semifinal appearances, including the Australian Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon in 2005. At the age of 18, Sharapova was ranked No. 1 in the world, and this season, she has been consistently ranked in the top 5. For more information, please visit www.mariasharapova.com.
About Prince Sports
Prince Sports, Inc., based in New Jersey, is a recognized leader in game-improvement technologies and engineering-based high-performance sports equipment. Since 1970, Prince and Ektelon have revolutionized tennis, squash and racquetball with innovations including “Oversize,” “Longbody” and “Extender” racquet technologies, Natural Foot Shape footwear technology, Synthetic Gut String and Electronic Ball Machines. In 2005, Prince introduced O3, another breakthrough that features an expanded sweet spot (up to 54 percent) and increased racquet speed, a combination only possible with O3 Technology. In 2006, Prince introduces M Series footwear with Precision Tube Technology, the latest innovation that gives players maximum cushioning, stability and ventilation. Prince Sports has operations on three continents and distribution in over 100 countries. For more information, please visit www.princetennis.com.
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