Story based on a real-life tennis match at the semi-finals stage of the BNP Paribas Open held on 15th March 2013.

Venue: Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Location: Indian Wells, Riverside County, California.

BEFORE: Long-standing feud between the two blonde Marias is about to be settled right here in Indian Wells with Maria Sharapova aka the Big Masha returning to her self-proclaimed home (but don't tell that to Daniela Hantuchova) to duke it out against Maria Kirilenko aka the Little Masha. These two were best friends since juniors until Sharapova hit the jackpot with Wimbledon glory and never looked back. Many fans claim Kirilenko is as good physically looking - if not even better - than Sharapova but the endorsements' numbers don't lie. There's only one Big Masha on the market and she's about to prove it in the ring proper at the expense of her minion with Caroline Wozniacki awaiting the winner to face her later in the final.

Maria Kirilenko wearing a white bikini set with yellow vertical stripes and red gloves. Blonde hair tied in a high braid. Maria Sharapova wearing a silver bikini with yellow laces (yellow is the color of WTA in 2013!) and black gloves. Blonde hair tied in a ponytail.

Round 1:
Kirilenko with the early moves, shows she's not afraid and won't be spooked by the high-profile of her rival. She jabs at the body and quickly takes control of the close range as Sharapova was never the master in footwork department, is forced to cover up low as Kirilenko takes best lessons from Wozniacki's tactics and tries to inflict some damage but just can't break her foe down and eats a couple of jabs on the counter which bring the Big Maria to the table. More striking over the top follows and that catches Kirilenko's attentions who knows nobody can live with Sharapova's punches on a regular basis and steps back. Sharapova shows no signs of emotions, business as usual, but keeps working that single hand to keep Kirilenko honest and safely back.

Round 2:
On comes Kirilenko again, whips a series around the elbows and makes inroads with crips precision, lashes out on the tummy and has Sharapova rooted to the spot but another counter hooking combo nails her on the cheeks and it's a painfully detailed striking with Little Masha's head getting bounced around for a while seemingly out of nowhere. Kirilenko drive low, pummels on the guts but doesn't even make the Big Maria moan, gets whacks on the chin instead and wobbles back to the ropes, opens her eyes and throws Sharapova a proper death stare, still no reaction from the Siberian siren. Kirilenko circles around in mid-distance and Sharapova just allows her to do so, offers little aggression despite a well-known reputation and it's a cagey affair with the Big Maria seemingly refusing to hurt her minion just yet and Kirilenko's feisty approach proving worthless.

Round 3:
Big Maria finally wakes up and strikes from mid-range, prevents Kirilenko from closing in but still taking a brunt pounding at her chest; Sharapova pours in with a jabbing combo that splits the arms and reaches out for the chest; Little Masha chaotic in avoidance, covers up her face but leaves the door open down low, eats more jabs on the ribs and allows Sharapova to work on her thereafter. Methodical striking from the Big M., quick series on the ribs leave Kirilenko gasping for air before a proper uppercut on the chest finally roots her to the spot. Left hook on the temple, right on the chin and Little Masha sags on the ropes, goes for the low guard but gets nailed on the brow ridge and winces in pain as Sharapova sets her up with a left hook, cross-strikes her mitts and catches on the nose right at the bell; has Kirilenko throwing verbal abuse during the interval and one can't make it out whether that's directed at Sharapova or herself, not that many people speak Russian in California...

Round 4:
Kirilenko refuses to accept the Little Masha tag and seeks more aggression, whips a series on the tummy and flicks an uppercut on the chest but Sharapova stretched her elbows all too easily and counters her on the chin, cross-hooks the mitts thereafter and snaps Kirilenko's head back who in turn is forced to cover up and abandon all her venom; Big Masha firmly on the move, pummels through the arms and lands more jabs on the nose as Little Masha loses her footing and gets pinned on the back foot in close range, wide swings from Sharapova unearth some of her pure strenght as she zips through the mitts and pounds Kirilenko to the ropes.. Little Masha sways on her feet, tries to jump to the side but gets clubbed with a vicious combo and a follow up on the navel. Loud moans from the feisty one, right hook on the temple makes her braid swing around her neck and Sharapova pours in with more striking over the top, targets the head and gives Kirilenko's defence a handful... a moutful soon afterwards and the bell couldn't have come sooner for the Little M.

Round 5:
Sharapova fully in her stride, works the single hand from mid-range and has Kirilenko dancing on her feet early but couple of precise hooks catch the Little Masha on the cheeks and slow her down as Sharapova goes around the elbows, wears her foe down slowly but surely and peppers her midriff from the second minute. Kirilenko uneasy with the onslaught, unable to repond likewise and just gets bashed around the canvas, all covered up and defensive, sluggish display but all down to Sharapova's skills who turns on the heat in the final minute, splits the mitts again and lumps her minion up with more accurate cross-hooks. Reach advantage is with the Big Maria and the Little One has to yield ground; eats more shots on the fly but avoids getting trapped on the ropes with the last resort of agility. Sharapova looks unmoved though but throws another of her trademark death stares and one senses she won't tease around with Kirilenko for much longer.

Round 6:
Kirilenko noticed that fearsome looks in her opponent's eyes and tries to bide some time at the start of the sixth but Sharapova's single striking over the top comes to the fore again and she splits the mitts early, bounces off the brow ridge and pours in with low jabbing thereafter, catches Kirilenko by surprise with the midriff barrage, flicks an uppercut on the chest and stretches her elbows in close range, skips under a menacing hook, beats her foe with an overhand left on the chin and a follow-up from the right clubs Kirilenko on the eye... Little Masha's rocked, falls forward and tries to keep herself upright as Sharapova jumps back and throws one more on the temple SENDING KIRILENKO DOWN ON HER KNEES!!! Big roar from the Indian Wells crowd but Little Maria shrugs off the knockdown at six and scrambles herself back upright... only to walk into a mammoth hook straight after the command as Sharapova spikes her with a clean winner.... Kirilenko refuses to buckle, but earns herself a nasty shiner with that one... Chest maulling follows as Big Masha splits her rival's arms wide open and just bashes that white bikini top, clips Kirilenko's chin and for all her aggression and determination, Little Masha gets worked over in the middle of the ring, Sharapova with loads of finesse given her 6'2" stance, pounds away at Kirilenko's assets, goes around the elbows and smacks the ribs as the Little Maria struggles to jump away to safety; gets pummelled back to the ropes in the final minute and just takes more punishment as Sharapova sends a couple of gutwrenchers late on and leaves her fellow blonde Russian gasping for air and roughed up at the bell.

Round 7:
Sharapova pounces on her aching opponent and Kirilenko just covers up straight from the opening bell, tries to bide some time but her speed and agility advantage is all gone now with the Big Masha ripping into her guts with ease, slamming more hooks on the ribcage and Kirilenko yelps in pain for a moment, gets silenced with a cross-hook on the chin; Sharapova seeks more damage around that wounded eye, splits the mitts and snaps Little One's head back, pushes her back to the ropes and hammers the ribs with Kirilenko's high guard unable to save her and the clubbing goes on for a while with Sharapova trapping her compatriot firmly on the ropes... relentless series on the ribs and Kirilenko just can't take it any longer... SHE SLIDES DOWN ON HER KNEES for the second time tonight and wraps her arms around her waist indicating she's in some discomfort... Sharapova plays with her mouthpiece, wonders if she's done enough to force a stoppage... Little Masha gets up at eight, fights back the tears of frustration and nods back to the man in charge... Thumbs up and we're back... Left hook on the nose and Kirilenko never saw that coming... spins back on the ropes with arms wide apart to each side... Sharapova pours in with more malice; bounces off the rack and clips the chin, throws another jabbing series on the tummy and KIRILENKO JUST SITS DOWN ON THE CANVAS... blubbers in agony of defeat and ref drags a rampant Big Maria away to her corner... Huge TKO R7 Maria Sharapova in order-restoring fashion!!!

AFTER: Indian Wells still belongs to the one and only, the ultimate brand of female tennis.. and you know her name! Bags of Sugarpova candies on display after the epic stoppage with the minion, the impostor well and truly beaten and shown her place in the Universe. Up in the crowd Caroline Wozniacki looks on, a fake smile on her face indicates she's not exactly enjoying the experience unlike so many around her and as she gets up to leave the Main Court, she takes one final look on the ring and meets the godfather of all death stares courtesy of the Siberian Siren... "Can you handle me?", a whispering Pova stares at the fellow blonde making her way to the exit while hardly anyone notices Maria Kirilenko escorted back from the ring at the same time... Familiar pattern though as every minion fades away into the shadows of the Pova brand...

Final result: Maria Sharapova def. Maria Kirilenko TKO7.