Sharapova to change name to Sugarpova during US Open in sweet marketing deal
Russian tennis ace Maria Sharapova is to take the unusual step of changing her surname during the US Open, after striking a marketing deal with a confectionary producer.
This will see the star change her surname, temporarily, to ‘Sugarpova’ by asking the Supreme Court of Florida for a ‘quickie’ name change during the two week tournament.
On addition to her new moniker Sharapova will also sport a pair of bright red lips, the logo of the sweets brand, on her kit during matches.
Should her application be successful Sharapova will be referred to as Sugarpova during introductions, addresses and score read outs during the tournament.
It isn’t the first time that a sports star has changed their name to promote a product. Snooker ace Jimmy White once changed his name to James Brown in order to promote HP Sauce.