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BERLIN - TENNIS pin-up Maria Sharapova has warned her future husband that he will literally have his hands full - when she fulfils her ambition to find true love.
The 20-year-old Russian, who won the Australian Open recently and has already picked up more than US$1 million (S$1.42 million) in prize money this year, is single, but says the man of her dreams had better beware.
'If I ever love a man as much as my dog, the guy will have a real problem, because I am all over that dog,' she said in an interview to be published in the German edition of Vanity Fair.
'I have had crushes during my career, but I don't believe it was true love.
'Perhaps in five years, I will be able to say for sure. I think the trick is not to go looking for love.'
While the future beau of the Russian may have to fight for her affections with her pet dog Dolce, Sharapova is certainly the darling of the tennis world.
She has won all the Grand Slam titles except the French Open.
When Sharapova, currently fifth in the Women's Tennis Association Tour rankings, was seven years old, her father Yuri took her to the United States so she could pursue her dream of being a tennis player.
But, having won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2004 at the age of 17, she has far exceeded expectations.
'What I have achieved has far outweighed my family's expectations,' she said.
'I would like to have children and I would like to do other things which make me happy.
'But, if I had my time over, I would do it all again.'
She is serious about her image and tennis career.
She is in the Middle East working on her own peace process, hoping it will pave the way to Olympic gold in Beijing in August.
The world's richest sportswoman is spearheading her country's defence of the Federation Cup against Israel this weekend.
There is plenty at stake.
She has never represented her country, but needs to demonstrate her commitment to the Fed Cup if she is to play in the Olympics.
Furthermore, her sponsors desperately need to see their investment reap maximum rewards at the world's biggest sports event in China in August.
Sharapova also knows that she needs to repair relationships with her teammates, many of whom have criticised her in the past for pulling out of the squad after being selected.
She insists that despite her accent, upbringing and lifestyle, which are more St Petersburg, Florida, than St Petersburg, Russia, there are no personal issues in the Russian camp.
'The majority of us have a wonderful relationship. We do,' said Sharapova, who irked Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anna Chakvetadze when she was invited to cheer the team from the sidelines in the 2007 Fed Cup final win over Italy in Moscow.
'I don't know what you saw, but we all went to team dinners. I have really good relationships,' said Sharapova.
'I couldn't play in the final, but the captain asked me to come and support them, and that's the least I could do.'
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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