The Worlds number 3 ranked women's tennis player is asking her fans opinion/help regarding a dispute she is having with the WTA. In her words "...the WTA Tour is forcing me and several of the other top players to do a 4 hour commercial shoot for WTA Tour marketing materials. They want me to do this shoot on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday of the Rome tournament after flying 12 hours from LA. I have set my own personal rules when is comes to doing shoots and I never do shoots before tournaments because they are mentally draining and I want to just focus on my tennis." The association is threatening fines ranging from $300,000 to $700,000, the greater amount seems to be tied to the fact that Sharapova also refuses to wear a sponsors patch on her clothing. The star's website, http://www.mariasharapova.com, has a plea from Sharapova to her fans and a link to a poll asking what she should do. I think that Maria needs to understand that without a tour and sponsors she'd have a different job and lifestyle... with a salary of more that $20 million yearly at 21 years of age, she has little to complain about in my humble opinion. My vote Maria: do the shoot and be thankful! Globe and Mail story here.
