THE LOW DOWN: Sharapova isn't who you think she is...well, according to Sharapova

Maria "Shriek"apova is a goofy girl who enjoys making home-made lemonade for her 5 friends.

Well, that's what the 21-year old would like us all to believe, anyway. In an interview with The Telegraph, Maria discusses her preference for slumber parties with friends at her Manhattan Beach pad over red-carpet nights and movie premieres:

It's strange for my friends when they see me on TV and in magazines, because the person that they see doing interviews and pictures on the red carpet is not the person that they know. The person that my friends know is much more low key than the person that everyone else sees. I'm a very low-key person. I don't need many things. I don't need glamour and attention to be happy. I'm very happy being settled and working my butt off and trying to win grand slams. I want my tennis to speak for everything.

In fact, the former no. 1 still doesn't understand the fascination with her celebrity and finds it "weird":

I still find my celebrity weird - it's always weird, you know, when I see my image on the cover of a magazine. That's very, very strange. I remember for a while I had been getting a lot of praise from people, but I never felt as though I deserved it until I had won grand slams and held the world No 1 ranking. And then I thought, 'OK, all that talk, I understand it now'. But before then it was just random.

But don't get her wrong. Maria appreciates what her celebrity status ultimately affords her - opportunities:

The best thing about my life is that I've had the opportunity to do many more things that I wouldn't have done if I was just in school or something. I absolutely love that because if it was just 'tennis, tennis, tennis' I would get mad. I've met some amazing people and been a part of some great projects, and taken care of my family and my grandparents financially.

I'm sure it's all gravy now that you have fame + fortune, Maria. And, you may not necessarily need the glamourous life, but it sure beats keggers in college, huh?

*Via Down the Line!

(image via wireimage)