NEW YORK – Maria Sharapova – tennis player, designer and endorser of many products is now a candy entrepreneur. On Monday on Fifth Avenue the four-time major winner and current World No. 3 launched her own candy line called “Sugarpova.” It features 12 different types of treats for sweets consumers which range from gummies and licorice to tennis ball shaped gumballs.

Sharapova spoke about why she went into candy-making business in the first place. “I’ve always had a sweet-tooth, she explained. “My earliest memory was being a kid asking my parents after practice if I could have a lollipop, the tough-to-find European lollipops. If you have a great week of practice you can get it.” Sharapova told herself. “That’s kind of where it started.”

“I’m a big “foodie” with a big sweet-tooth,” she said. Sharapova said that she’s always looking for a treat that you can have after a good workout and trying to be healthy.

“So I wanted to own my own business for awhile and I’ve been part of many great collaborations and collections,” Sharapova added. “But I felt it was really time tostart things on my own a little bit – be involved make the final decisions. “it’s been 18 months sinceit all started. To see it at Henri Bendel’s is incredible.”

Sharapova’s favorite of her candy wares is named “quirky” – a licorice with marshmallow inside with a rainbow on the outside. The Russian is also reponsible for the concept and development of the products as well. “I went to the factory Spain and made sure that they, you know when things are getting mass produced it can lose it’s quality a little bit. From the beginning I wanted it to be a premium candy line from the packaging to the quality of the candies, that was very important to me.” For example Sharapova wanted the “tennis gum balls” to look exactly like tennis balls. “All those little things really matter,” Sharapova noted.

Sharapova is set to play the US Open  where she’ll be the third seed in the Women’s singles draw. The tournament begins next week.