WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Martina Navratilova sure can spot tennis talent when she sees it.

At an exhibition in Moscow a dozen years ago, she saw a girl brandishing a racket and encouraged her to seek serious coaching, perhaps in the United States.

Next week at Wimbledon, both Navratilova and that kid — Maria Sharapova — will be competing. And while Navratilova, now 47, is playing singles at the All England Club one last time before retiring, Sharapova, now 17, considers herself a title contender.

“When I was 5, I did an exhibition with thousands of kids, and Martina Navratilova was there,” Sharapova recalled. “She told my dad I had a lot of talent.”

At the time, Sharapova wasn’t aware the advice was coming from an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion.

“I had no idea who she was. I didn’t know anything about tennis,” Sharapova said. “To tell you the truth, I wasn’t a big fan of anyone. I knew tennis was a big sport, but I never had anyone I looked up to.”

Her country never had a female Slam champion until two weeks ago, when Anastasia Myskina beat Elena Dementieva in an all-Russian final at the French Open. Led by that duo, Russia has six of the top 13 women at Wimbledon, including No. 8 Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 10 Nadia Petrova, No. 12 Vera Zvonareva and No. 13 Sharapova, plus No. 20 Elena Bovina. None is older than 22.

Sharapova eventually might be the best. And she knows it.

“It would be a dream come true if I were to win Wimbledon,” she said. “Realistic? Why not?”

Perhaps her confidence was inherited from her father, Yuri. Approached after Maria won her third-round match at the French Open, he told reporters to come back “after the tournament.” Then he added: “After she will win, we will talk.”

Alas, Sharapova lost her quarterfinal, her first at a major. At Wimbledon in 2003, she reached the fourth round, tying the best showing ever by a female wild card here.

With No. 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne and No. 2 Kim Clijsters sidelined, and the Williams sisters trying to regain their top form, Wimbledon appears wide open.

“Sharapova could be a dangerous player, for sure,” former pro and ESPN analyst Mary Joe Fernandez said. “She’s looking to be another superstar.”

It’s been a circuitous route.

Born in Siberia, Sharapova moved to a Black Sea resort at 2, began playing tennis at 4, and entered Nick Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy in Florida at 9. She also has worked in Los Angeles with Robert Lansdorp, who coached Tracy Austin.

Sharapova, who signed with the modeling agency which represents Tyra Banks, has been compared with Anna Kournikova, but there’s a key difference: Sharapova has won a tournament – three, actually, including last week on grass at Birmingham.

Her English is nearly flawless, and the WTA Tour is eager for her to help promote the game. Its new ad campaign includes a poster with Sharapova on court and the tagline, “A woman’s gotta do what a woman’s gotta do.”