BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Tennis star Maria Sharapova, here to play an exhibition match against Venus Williams, yesterday handed Thailand's prime minister a check for US$10,000 (euro7,350) for victims of the tsunami disaster.

The 17-year-old Russian made the donation at the Government House where she met with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

"It happened unpredictably. I was shocked," Sharapova, the Wimbledon women's singles champion, said of the tsunamis. "Obviously many people have been devastated by this."

Sharapova was on a beach in California when she heard the news of the killer waves which, by latest official count, killed nearly 2,000 people in southern Thailand. The death toll is expected to soar.

"Life is unpredictable. We have to live every second not knowing what is going to happen. However, life must go on and we have to look forward to good things," she told a news conference.

As a warm-up for next month's Australian Open, Sharapova is scheduled to play former top-ranked Williams in the northern province of Chiang Mai on Sunday. Williams was to arrive in Thailand later yesterday.

"Sharapova and Venus come here not only to show their tennis talents but to help regain the reputation of local tourism. Their presence in Thailand could render moral support to victims of the tragedy," said Suwat Liptapunlop, president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand.

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