Maria Sharapova /Getty Images

Superstar Maria Sharapova Coming to Toronto

April 26, 2005- Tennis Canada announced that defending Wimbledon Champion and international celebrity Maria Sharapova is on the official player entry list for the women's 2005 Rogers Cup, to be held August 13-21 at the Rexall Centre in Toronto this summer.

?As a top Tier I tournament, the Rogers Cup is a very important date on my summer calendar,? said Sharapova, who is followed by film crews from shows like Inside Edition and Access Hollywood in addition to tennis-based media. ?The Rogers Cup is a key event amongst the US Open Series and will also be the best way for me to prepare for the US Open.?

The US Open Series, launched in 2004, links the 10 major women's summer tournaments, including the Rogers Cup, to the US Open, creating a cohesive summer hard court season. The US Open Series Bonus Challenge directly links players' performances at US Open Series events with their earnings at the US Open. Sharapova is among the favourites who have a chance at doubling their prize money at the year-end Grand Slam.

The complete 56-player main draw entry list for the 2005 Rogers Cup is expected to be announced next week. Four wild cards ? distributed at the discretion of Tennis Canada ? will be announced in the weeks preceding the tournament.

?Having the world's most popular player in the field will add an extra level of excitement to the women's 2005 Rogers Cup,? said Tournament Director Stacey Allaster. ?The unique combination of world-class athletics and celebrity power make this the must-see event of the summer.?

Sharapova was awarded the 2004 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Player of the Year Award after rising from No.13 to become the third youngest player in history to win at Wimbledon and winning the year-end tour championships. Of the three Tier 1 events she has played in 2005 she has been a semi-finalist, finalist and winner. Sharapova electrified the tennis world with an exciting 8-6 third set battle with Serena Williams at this year's Australian Open.

A native of Siberia, the 18-year-old has taken both the tennis and celebrity worlds by storm. Following her Wimbledon win, Sharapova appeared on NBC's Today Show, Live with Regis and Kelly, Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, and MTV's TRL (Total Request Live). She also became the first tennis player in more than two years to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated, was featured in August 2004 Vogue Italia and was the top search on KaZaZZ! Personalized Search Engine during the week ending October 10, 2004, beating out Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Pamela Anderson, New York Yankees, New England Patriots, Christina Aguilera, Tiger Woods, Alicia Keys and Usher.

About the Rogers Cup

The women's Rogers Cup is one of the premier Tier 1 tournaments on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. In 2001, the Rogers Cup was launched with record success and the tournament has drawn record crowds and premier players in both Toronto and Montreal every year. Last year's event, held in Montreal, set a new single-week world attendance record for a women's professional event with 166,442 spectators. Tennis Canada expects a new record to be set in Toronto this August when the women debut at the Rexall Centre at York University.

The stars of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour will debut at the world class Rexall Centre in Toronto August 13?21st. To purchase tickets please call 1-877-2-TENNIS ext. 4333 or visit on-line at <a href="http://tickets.rexallcentre.com/English/tickets.asp" target="_blank">www.rogerscup.com</a>

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