[starin]

Originally Posted by Bruno71

I'm fairly certain that Shahar Peer is Jewish . Whether she's devout or not I don't know.

you mean she's Isreali. Doesn't make her Jewish.

(i think that's right )

[Bruno71]

Originally Posted by manatee

you mean she's Isreali. Doesn't make her Jewish.

(i think that's right )

Right, it doesn't nec. mean she's Jewish...but I believe that she is.

[lielabet7]

I think Sharapova is a Christian coz I have often seen her kiss the cross she wears around her neck and also when she wins, after she has thanked the crowd, she always kisses her hand and raises it to the sky aswell as her head - thanking God.

[metamorpha]

I think she's catholic? Look how Yuri reacted just right after she won the final USO 2006.

[Tie-Break]

Originally Posted by Bruno71

Right, it doesn't nec. mean she's Jewish...but I believe that she is.

Yeh - she is Jewish

[souam]

Originally Posted by metamorpha

I think she's catholic? Look how Yuri reacted just right after she won the final USO 2006.

Most Russians are Orthodoxes. I doubt she's Catholic.

[cheyk]

What about Petrova? Do you know anything?

[ce]

probably orthodox

[Or Levy]

Originally Posted by manatee

you mean she's Isreali. Doesn't make her Jewish.

(i think that's right )

Shahar Peer is an Israeli name, but it's also a Jewish Israeli name, there's no doubt, it's just obvious.

Plus, the Jewish population in Israel is about 76%, and 20% of the other 24% are Israeli arabs (who are either Christians or Muslims) who aren't going to be called "Shahar Peer" - it's just not an Arabic name.

As for her faith, she's probably secular, like about 40 or 45 percent of the Jewish population in Israel. If she was in any way religious, life as a top Tennis player would be very difficult for her (for example, not playing on Saturday and eating Kosher)

[miffedmax]

There was an interview with Dementieva where someone asked her religion. She gave a very carefully moderated answer, something along the lines that everybody has beliefs that are important to them.

Elena being Elena, it's pretty hard to be sure what that means. It could be that she is an atheist or agnostic who respects that others may believe differently. She may be a deist or a Universalist who believes in a Supreme Being, but is not locked into a particular doctrine or traditional faith.

Or it could mean that she is a mainstream Orthodox Russian who was politely telling a reporter that her religious beliefs are none of his damn business.

Given her propensity for keeping her private life just that, I think it unlikely we'll ever know.

Myskina I know is the godmother of her coach's daughter, which would indicate to me that she is at least somewhat Orthodox--I can kind of see her as being, like so many, a "Christmas and Easter" member of the Orthodox Church, but that's just speculation.

[Joana]

Originally Posted by miffedmax

I can kind of see her as being, like so many, a "Christmas and Easter" member of the Orthodox Church, but that's just speculation.

95% of all Orthodox Christians are like that.

[Nervenbuendel]

I think this topic is a quite interesting one - in my opinion it is indeed somehow important; it touches the mental background of each player and has due to this a great influence on personality and character. On the other hand it is a very personal subject and some of the intelligent and decent players (like Dementieva) won't open her mind regarding their inner world to the press for some reason.

To tell the truth: We know almost nothing about that, except the fact that obviously Serena Williams claims that she believes in Jehova. The only person in the whole tennis circuit I remind telling something about religion was Michael Chang who is christian.

On the other hand: I really do think there are a lot of players which are religious in different degrees. First of all the members of the Russian-Orthodox Church and members of the Roman-Catholic Church. It is in my opinion quite uncommon that for example players from South America or Italy, Spanin, Portugal, Poland etc. are pure atheists - in most cases they are at least "low-level" believers. Could you imagine that Paolo Suarez is a religious indifferent person? I can't.

[jeanpierre]

religion of WTA player = tennis. Arrive in airport, go to hotel, go to restaurant, sleep, shower, go to toilet, go to practice courts, play matchs, fly to next city. That is the religion of WTA tennis player.

[polishprodigy]

The Williams sisters are devout Jehovah Witnesses. Serena even thanked "my God Jehovah" in her winners acceptance speech at the AO.

[Aphex]

The $.
And some the €.