COLD STEEL

So why does everyone hate Maria?

Even among tennis fans as a whole, it's been clear for some time that Sharapova is not a beloved champion. There's a lot of interest in her, but not a lot of affection. She was booed off the court by the finicky French fans after losing to Dinara Safina at the French Open. It inspired an interesting discussion in the IHT's pre-Wimbledon forum, and the range of possibilities given was wide -- her entourage, her grunting, her uninspiring game, her toughness on court, her looks.

The thing is, what's she to do? Sharapova isn't by nature warm or sweet, nor is she pleasantly dumb, either of which would make her less threatening. She's sharp and assertive, presenting a steely edge to the world .

Sharapova Inc. The Tiffany's earrings, the talking point dresses, the endorsements, the money, the attention ... Sharapova's commercial success would make it tough for her to be one of the girls even if she wanted to be, but she shows no sign that she does.

It's not too surprising that Sharapova's level of comfort around fellow players isn't great, given some unfriendly experiences at Bollettieri's and the silent resentment that greets any attractive young player on tour who receives a lot of hype.saying hello business is clearly a big deal in the locker room, with Anna Kournikova (the original unloved Russian) and the Williams sisters all infamous for a tendency not to greet players. Ahead of the French Open, Alize Cornet listed Anna Chakvetadze as her least liked player -- Chakvetadze's failure to say hello factoring heavily in the explanation.