Sharapova takes a swing at TV

Tennis star to pitch sports drama to CW

By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER

The world's highest-paid female athlete, Maria Sharapova, is aiming to add "television producer" to her ever-growing list of stats.

Sharapova has partnered with writer Jacob Epstein to lob a sports-themed drama toward the CW net. Project will be set inside the world of professional women's tennis -- a topic Sharapova, currently ranked fifth among the world's female players, knows a thing or two about.

CBS Paramount Network TV will serve up the project, which is still just in the script stage at the Green weblet. Sharapova may have a little more time than usual to lob in; she recently dropped out of the Zurich Open and Generali Ladies due to a shoulder injury.

Ball's now in Epstein's court to write the script. Scribe, whose credits include "Shark," "Without a Trace," "Strange Justice" and "Sliders," will exec produce, while Sharapova is on board to co-exec produce.