Sharapova donates some USD40,000 to Russian orphanages

Sharapova posted a picture on her Facebook account on Monday with her and Yang Seok, President and CEO of LOTTE, both holding a donation check worth over 2.285 million rubles. (Photo: Maria Sharapova/ Facebook)

MOSCOW –Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, who recently presented her own brand of chocolate candies Shugarpova, donated over 2.28 million rubles (over USD39,400) to orphanages in Russia.

Sharapova posted a picture on her Facebook account on Monday with her and Yang Seok, President and CEO of LOTTE, both holding a donation check worth over 2.285 million rubles.

“With Mr. Yang Seok, President and CEO of LOTTE RUS, presenting the charity donation project: portion of the sales received from Sugarpova products sold at the mini-bar of Lotte Hotel Moscow to support orphanages in Russia,” the tennis player wrote in a comment to her picture.

Sharapova is Russia’s most decorated tennis player having won a total of five Grand Slam tournaments, namely Australian Open in 2008, French Open in 2012 and 2014, Wimbledon in 2004 and US Open in 2006.

She is also a silver medal winner of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and the 2008 Federations Cup champion.

Currently serving a provisional suspension, Sharapova is set to make her comeback following a doping ban this year on April 26 at the tennis tournament in Stuttgart.

The tennis player has been serving a two-year suspension for the violation of anti-doping regulations since January 26 last year. However, the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on October 4, 2016 to reduce her suspension term from 24 to 15 months. Sharapova is officially eligible to make her comeback on April 26 this year.