'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABfAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwcQAAEEAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQSADEFESEHAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGEQACAgMAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMRAAQSBSFB/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDPfnqnmecQ207VMiYQ2qiLtFlmyDboW373vIpPJTEiSZlS8A4UhGr+9bxjDm6qxrGyDkuzlq+nEfjJHmfYWQ9BCgWxdD3n/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Maria Sharapova was involved in the process of picking ball boys from a bunch of models during the WTA Finals in 2006.
Earlier, the 2004 Madrid Masters received criticism for having models as ball girls. Two years after that, the organizers of the WTA year-end championships, which shifted from Los Angeles to the Spanish capital, decided to have a casting call for ball boys in the name of equality.
Sharapova, former World No. 1 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Argentine actress Natalia Verbeke were part of the panel that picked the ball boys.
“I came here to see hot guys and have a good time," Sharapova had then said.
The Russian had her fair share of fun as she quizzed the candidates about tennis and her career. She asked one youngster named Israel who his favorite tennis player was. When he replied, "Lindsay Davenport," Sharapova was astonished and her reaction was met with laughter across the room. The Russian told Israel:
"A zero. You’ve just earned yourself a zero.”
How did Maria Sharapova fare at 2006 WTA Tour Championships
Maria Sharapova reached the semifinals of the 2006 WTA Tour Championships in Madrid. She entered the year-end tournament on the back of winning four successive tournaments, including the US Open.
Seeded second, the Russian was drawn in Group Red alongside fourth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, Kim Clijsters, and seventh seed Elena Dementieva.
Sharapova started the tournament by beating Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-4. She then defeated Kim Clijsters 6-4, 6-4 before triumphing 6-1, 6-4 over Elena Dementieva to win her group and reach the semifinals of the WTA Tour Championships.
Facing Sharapova in the last four of the competition was third seed Justine Henin, who beat the Russian 6-2, 7-6(5) to break her 23-match winning streak and reach the final. The Belgian went on to win the WTA Tour Championships by beating top seed Amelie Mauresmo 6-1, 6-3.
That defeat brought an end to an impressive 2006 season for Maria Sharapova. It was statistically her best season on the WTA Tour in terms of win percentage, triumphing in 87% of her matches (59 out of 68). She won five titles, which is her joint-highest in a calendar year.
Her biggest triumph of 2006 was undoubtedly the US Open, where she beat Justine Henin 6-4, 6-4 in the final. She ended the year ranked World No. 2.
