10 unknown facts about Maria Sharapova

#8. Sharapova and her father emigrated to Miami to pursue her tennis potential

Sharapova and her father had only $700 when they emigrated to the United States from Russia

With Navratilova suggesting that Sharapova receive professional training at the IMG Academy, Sharapova and her father, neither of whom spoke English at the time, moved to Miami in 1994 so that Sharapova could have received better training in the sport.Back then, the two only had $700 which they had borrowed from Sharapova’s grandparents. Sharapova’s father, Yuri took to doing many odd-jobs like washing dishes to fund Sharapova’s training till she was old enough to join the Academy. Yuri also coached Sharapova on public courts himself. Sharapova joined IMG in 1995 who agreed to pay the annual tuition fee of $35,000. During her first two years in the United States, Sharapova was without her mother who was denied a visa before finally being granted one in June, 1996.