McOnie: It's love, so I can't be a stalker

James McOnie. Photo / Herald Sun

Being branded a stalker isn't usually the ideal way to be given your 15 minutes of fame.

But it is clearly not the worst. The news coverage of my verbal exchanges with tennis star Maria Sharapova has helped re-launch The Crowd Goes Wild on Prime but that wasn't really the plan.

And this week I've had more texts than ever before (ie, three) from women wanting to "catch up". I believe I have crossed the line into bad boy territory.

How did I get so bad? It was easy really. I attended two Maria Sharapova press conferences at the Australian Open.

Admittedly that meant I went to five Sharapova press conferences in a row but I had to go to the first three because I front the official videos for the ASB Classic in Auckland.

And yes, I offered to take her shopping. She asked me if I had good taste. I said impeccable. She said, well you obviously don't know any good hairdressers. Oh how we laughed.

Two weeks later I flew to Melbourne to film a pool bombing contest with Serbian tennis star Ana Ivanovic. It was her idea to work together and the shoot went well, except I lost on a technicality.

The problems began the next day. Instead of going with my relatives to the aquarium, which I thought was too expensive, I decided to pick up my accreditation from tennis HQ.

That's when I heard the announcement for the pre-tournament Sharapova press conference. So I popped in and asked her if she hung out with Anna Kournikova at a club for hot Russians? A fair question.

"You're the guy from New Zealand, huh?" And then, laughing, she said: "Oh my God, you're stalking me."

To which I replied: "It's not stalking if you love someone." (That was a joke, by the way).

She responded: "It can be, slightly. Trust me." (She was still in good spirits, I should add).

She then went on to talk to me about Kournikova, and how she had opened doors for the other Russians.

The first stalker headlines raced around the world. "NZ journalist stalking Maria Sharapova", "Sharapova stalker could be banned", "'It's not stalking if you love someone' comment puts Maria on edge".

Two days later on Monday, like a good journalist should, I decided to follow up the story.

So I made a sign that said "I am not a stalker" and took it into Rod Laver Arena for the final two games of Sharapova's first round match. I brought out the sign briefly between games and after the match.

I took the sign (folded up) to her post-match conference. The media asked about the game; I asked what she'd do if she wasn't a tennis player. She said she'd be in architecture or design but hadn't had time to study yet.

"But ever since I was young I loved architecture, different types of buildings. I love the creative aspect of many things."

A minute or so later I said: "You know how you called me a stalker the other day?"

Maria: "Yes."

Me: "Have you had a problem with a stalker before?"

Maria: "Not until you, no. I don't know why you're here today. That shouldn't have happened. You even have a sign. Oh, goodness (laughs). That's wrong."

She's quick-witted, sharp, clever. And again her dry KGB sarcasm fooled the world's media. This photo and more headlines flew off the presses. "Sharapova's stalker strikes again"; "Sharapova's stalker not a stalker, says stalker".

As planned weeks earlier, I flew back to New Zealand on Monday night because my show was in its first week back on the air. On Tuesday night, I appeared live in studio on Prime TV in Auckland.

On Wednesday morning, Newstalk ZB reported: "Mr McOnie had gone to ground at Grand Slam headquarters yesterday and had reportedly returned to Auckland."

More headlines: "Stalker leaves Sharapova in peace". In Spain: "Sharapova Acosta!"

I can forgive the Spanish and the Swedes. Half of the Australian media get it, judging by the radio interviews I've had. Americans don't seem to get it at all.

Blogger Larry Brown (who is an egg) wrote that she had complained, was annoyed and uncomfortable. I dispute all three.

As far as I know Sharapova hasn't complained. If she was upset, she would've turned to the WTA official beside her and not answered any questions from me after the Kournikova one. I've seen reporters get blocked like that.

The media at the press conference realised it was a joke. The ones on the outside have taken her words literally.

The problem is the words "Oh my God you're stalking me" are quite damning. You wouldn't, for example, interpret them as meaning, "Great to see you again".

My only hope to clear my name is for Sharapova to say it was all a joke, which I'm sure she would.

I just need Herald on Sunday reporter Michael Burgess to stop "stalking" Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for a second and pursue the truth.

And the truth is I don't love Sharapova. But I like her.

Okay, and the other truth is only two women texted me to catch up. But don't get me started on the men. They've stalked me in droves.

James McOnie is a former Herald on Sunday journalist. The Crowd Goes Wild is running in a new timeslot at 6.30pm, weeknights on Prime.