Synopsis: This cultural documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at the reasons for Russia's stunning overnight conquest of women's tennis. Maria Sharapova sparked worldwide attention last summer when she became the first Russian to win Wimbledon at just seventeen years of age. And yet Sharapova is just one of many fiercely competitive, talented and beautiful Russians suddenly sweeping the women's tour. In 2002, only one Russian woman was ranked among the World's Top-30 players. By 2004, they constituted half of the Top-10. In the process, these youngsters won every major event of the summer: Wimbledon, the French and U.S. Open. So why is this cash-strapped, snow-covered nation now producing waves of femme-fatale tennis phenoms? In October of 2003, we traveled to the most remote parts of Russia to find out why so many young women were suddenly reaching the top ranks of the pro tour. What we uncovered was astonishing. The Russian's success is not based on a well-funded, Olympic-style program or even a centralized training system. Instead, the vast majority of the country's best-known players were developed by a small coterie of coaches, parents, and former players at Spartk, a small club outside Moscow -- with only 130 students. In fact, Anna Kournikova, 2004 French Open champ Anastasia Myskina, and French and U.S. Open finalist Elena Dementieva -- all grew up competing against one another in the same age group at Spartak. There, they were trained by the mother of Australian and U.S. Open winner Marat Safin. Our piece shows how this "Mecca" of talent makes do with only one poorly heated, dilapidated indoor court -- in a land where snow blankets the ground eight months of the year. Rare Footage: Our piece features much hard-to-obtain footage, including Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra playing tennis, today's top Russian pros training together on the same court at age 5 or 6, and footage of a highly amusing Boris Yeltsin playing tennis and hugging his girls on court after their matches. Interviews: We have filmed and interviewed virtually all of Russia's top players (past and present), including 2004 Wimbledon champ Maria Sharapova; 2004 French Open winner Anastasia Myskina; pioneer and former Top-Ten player Anna Kournikova; Anna Dmitrieva, the first Soviet woman to compete abroad and Olga Morozova, a 1974 Wimbledon finalist and coach of Elena Dementieva. The program features our interviews on this topic with the game's leading figures: Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Bud Collins, Justine Henin-Hardene, Nick Bollettieri, Robert Lansdorp, and Eugene L. Scott among others. Our Team: Executive Producer Philip Johnston is a former Chief Sports Editor for The Moscow Times and former Moscow correspondent for United Press International. He holds an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University (SAIS) in Russian studies and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. Executive Producer Peter Geisler is our video editor and cameraman. He holds a B.S. in Economics from Vanderbilt University and an M.B.A. in Finance from Emory University. Laura Anthony, an advisor on the project, is a former producer at Bloomberg Television.   “[T]he film probes much deeper that the usual cultural examinations of the ‘Russian Revolution’. But the real winners are in the... footage.” - L. Jon Wertheim, Sports Illustrated “People will see Anna in a whole new way... A fascinating look at their leap from harsh Soviet origins to their glamorous, globe-trotting lifestyle.”  - Dan Weil, writer for Tennis Magazine and Fox Sports “Looking for one good reason to watch professional tennis? How about six: Myskina, Demetieva, Kuznetsova, Petrova, Zvonareva and Sharapova.” - Diane Hill, Maxim Magazine