Sharapova takes her pick of male models in Madrid

By Mark Elkington

MADRID (Reuters) – Maria Sharapova has handpicked seven
male models with tennis knowledge to act as ball-boys at the
WTA Tour’s end-of-season championships in Madrid.

The 19-year-old Russian was the center of attention at the
casting event held in a Madrid hotel on Thursday.

A selection panel that included Sharapova, former champion
Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and film actress Natalia Verbeke was
invited to narrow down a field of 15 hopefuls.

The male models, wearing white shorts and tight t-shirts,
were brought up one at a time and tested on their knowledge of
tennis, among other things, in a tongue-in-cheek manner.

A number of contestants struggled to respond correctly to
questions such as “What is a tie break?” and “What would you do
if a player asked you for a towel?”

Models who could get by in English seemed to win favor with
Sharapova, who does not speak much Spanish.

Two candidates were marked down by the world number three
after being asked who was their favorite female tennis player.

One replied Amelie Mauresmo and the other Kim Clijsters.

When one failed to name the 2004 Wimbledon women’s champion
(Sharapova) quickly, he also appeared to get the thumbs down.

The idea to use male models as ball-boys derived from the
Madrid Masters tournament which has courted controversy by
using female models as ball-girls.

The WTA event takes place in the Madrid Arena in November
and organizers say the $1 million winner’s check will equal the
largest in the history of women’s sports.