Max Eisenbud played a central role in the rapid growth of Sharapova’s career development immediately after she signed with IMG. Eisenbud was highly experienced in tennis and when he saw Sharapova for the first time, he knew that she was uniquely talented for the sport. He became her agent and took over the task of negotiating sponsorship and endorsement deals on her behalf.
Eisenbud became the vice-president of IMG in 2004 and he dedicated most of his time to helping Sharapova grow her career by offering the necessary support. For instance, he faced one of the biggest challenges trying to change the public’s perception of Sharapova so that she could focus on developing her skills in tennis. One of the strategies that he used was to allow her to give interviews only after winning, thus effectively branding her as a champion.
He also endeavored to differentiate her from other upcoming players, especially Anna Kournikova, who was also a rising Russian tennis player. Eisenbud also helped Maria to secure a deal with Nike as a brand ambassador. Therefore, the agent played central roles both on and off-field to grow Sharapova’s brand and advance her career. This assertion explains why she managed to win major titles at a very young age by beating icons like Serena Williams. Without Eisenbud, Sharapova’s story could be different today.