Tennis player Maria Sharapova (Photo: Reuters)
The four-time Grand Slam champion lived in Sochi until she was 6 and still has family and friends in the area. She was Russia's flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, where she won a silver medal.
NBC Olympics executive producer Jim Bell says that Sharapova ''transcends sports as one of the world's most recognizable stars.'' He adds that ''Maria will offer a unique and personal perspective on a place she knows so well.''
The opening ceremony in Sochi is Feb. 7.
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