Maria Sharapova, candy maven, won’t be Maria Sugarpova after all

Maria Sharapova had planned to take her sweet tooth all the way to the bank, then to court. The former world No. 1 tennis star, who has her own candy line called Sugarpova, wanted to put the company name on everyone’s lips come game time at the U.S. Open.

How exactly was she going to have fans around the world on a Sugarpova rush? By becoming Maria Sugarpova. The athlete created a media buzz with the name-change proposal -- but then changed her mind.

Too bad. It had a nice ring to it: “Game, set, match, Sugarpova.” “Sugarpova wins the coin toss.”

And it could have been a boon for her year-old candy line. Sugarpova consists of items such as “sporty” gummies shaped like tennis balls or “flirty” lip-shaped gummies in different colors.

According to the Times of London, Sharapova asked the Florida Supreme Court, a state in which she has a residence, about a name change. If her name had been changed, it would have been only for the course of the tournament.

And Sharapova would likely still have been listed as “Sharapova” on any U.S. Tennis Assn., ESPN, CBS and Tennis Channel materials.

So why’d she drop the plan? Basically, it was just too difficult, her agent told ESPN.

Looks like Sharapova won’t be joining Metta World Peace, Chad Ochocinco and Cameron F. Awesome in the outrageous-names club.

ALSO:

Sqirl reopens after renovation, with a new coffee program

Coffee: Good for us? Or bad for us? Two new studies disagree

Chinatown says bye to summer with papaya salad and griddled coconut cakes