Stamp issue a sticky one for Sharapova

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London (dpa) - Maria Sharapova feels her image may be suffering after revelations that the Russian Wimbledon champion lives a "double life" as a stamp collector.

The other side of the tennis glam queen was exposed in a stamp-collecting specialist publication. But Sharapova is now trying to play down her now-public minor passion as she works here way through Wimbledon.

"Everyone's calling me a dork now," complained the blonde baseline basher, who lifted the title in 2004. "We're getting e-mails from stamp collecting magazines asking if I can do an interview."

Sharapova, one of the leading world brands in sports marketing, let slip her off-court interest in an interview which she now regrets.

"It's just a hobby. I'm actually good telling stories, but that is one I should have never talked about. Let's get off the subject because I'm going to be an absolute geek tomorrow."

Sharapova said her agent has instructed her to avoid the sticky stamp subject from here on out as she concentrates on her tennis job. -----------------

World Cup-Wimbledon punters look to the double

London (dpa) - Sports fans have the chance to double up next weekend, with London bookmakers offering odds on a tennis-football two-way as the World Cup and the Wimbledon Championships wrap up on the same day.

Sunday, July 9, marks the final at both the All England club and in Berlin. And punters are already laying down bets on winners of both competitions emerging from the same nation.

With ten days to go before game time, the odds are limited to countries still alive in both events.

Argentina, with David Nalbandian in tennis and one of the World Cup's flashiest sides, has overall odds of 94-1. The 2002 Wimbledon finalist, like most of tennis players, is a huge football fan.

Labelling Scotland's Andy Murray British allows a bet on England in the football-tennis stakes at lofty 350-1 odds while Germany (Tommy Haas) was in with a chance at 550-1. France (Sebastien Grosjean) are rated at 1,200-1.