Sharapova set to become 'Sugarpova' to promote candies

Russian tennis superstar Maria Sharapova wants to legally change her surname to 'Sugarpova' before the fortnight of the US Open.

According to news.com.au, Sharapova has approached the Supreme Court of Florida to change her name in line with the brand of lollies she launched.

The tennis ace plans to wear the Sugarpova symbol, a set of lips, on her clothes during the tournament she last won in 2006, the report said.

Sharapova, who is understood to have invested US$ 500,000 dollars into Sugarpova, was named as the highest earning female athlete in the world by Forbes magazine recently.

She has faced criticism from several health advocates for launching a range of sweets with titles including Quirky, Sporty and Smitten Sour.

The player has plans to further expand the Sugarpova brand to include cosmetics, fashion and other accessories, according to the report.