Maria Sharapova: Why Sharapova Is the Most Captivating Women's Star Today

For most people, the reason Maria Sharapova is so captivating seems pretty simple—she's absolutely stunning.

However, when you consider what she has done for the WTA over her career, there's so much more than can play into the equation. The Russian bombshell burst onto the scene way back in 2004, when she won Wimbledon at only 17 years of age.

As if that weren't captivating enough, Sharapova went on to appear in at least the quarterfinal round of every single Grand Slam tournament in 2005. Right away, the blonde beauty was showing the world that a woman with a pretty face and hot body can do more than prance around in pretty outfits.

Though on that note, part of the reason Sharapova is so captivating is because of how well she can rock her tennis attire. That is simply a sidebar.

The current No. 2 player in the world has three Grand Slams to her name, having won one U.S. Open, one Australian Open and, of course, one Wimbledon. Her athletic excellence is well-documented.

In addition to (and partly because of) her on-court play, Sharapova has earned herself several accolades over the years. Her endorsements range from Motorola to Canon, from Land Rover to Tiffany. Certainly her commercials have been memorable (like Canon's "Make every shot a power shot" commercials).

On top of all that, Maxim named Sharapova the Hottest Athlete in the World for four consecutive years from 2003-2006 and Forbes had her ranked as the highest-paid female athlete in the world in March 2006.

What's not to love about Maria Sharapova? There's no doubt she's gorgeous—that much is obvious. Her passion for the game is obvious, given her constantly boisterous play. Every time you sit down to view her matches, she'll let you know that she's there.

Now, Sharapova is appearing 10th French Open, having finished no better than the semis, which she's managed to do twice. Will she finally capture her fourth Grand Slam, thus making herself a Grand Slam champion?

Only time will tell, but you can't argue—Maria Sharapova is simply one of the most captivating and breathtaking athletes in today's world of sports.