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Maria Sharapova

Who Is Maria Sharapova?

Born in Russia, Maria Sharapova moved to the United States at an early age and began training at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. After turning professional as a teen, she burst into the spotlight by winning the 2004 Wimbledon women's singles title. Sharapova became the 10th woman to earn a career Grand Slam with her French Open win in 2012, and she claimed her second French crown and fifth overall Grand Slam title in 2014. Suspended for 15 months after testing positive for a banned substance, Sharapova returned to the court in April 2017 and won her final WTA title later that year. She announced her retirement in February 2020.

Early Life and Career

Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987, in Nyagan, Siberia, Russia. After learning to play tennis as a young child, she moved with her father to Florida, earning a scholarship to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy at age nine.

Long-limbed and powerful, Sharapova showed immense promise on the competitive circuit. She turned professional on her 14th birthday but continued to compete among her peers, finishing runner-up at the junior Wimbledon and French Open tournaments in 2002.

Tennis Career and Championships

Sharapova claimed her first WTA victory at the 2003 AIG Japan Open and also reached the fourth round at Wimbledon on her first attempt during the same year. Success came the following year when she won the singles title at Wimbledon, becoming Russia's first female Wimbledon champion. At the end of 2004, she added a WTA Championships title to her list of achievements.

Sharapova became the first Russian woman to ascend to the sport's top ranking in 2005, and the following year she claimed her second Grand Slam title with a win at the U.S. Open.

The tennis star was slowed by shoulder problems for much of 2007 and 2008, although she managed to win her third Grand Slam with a dominant showing at the 2008 Australian Open. She finally underwent shoulder surgery that October, and the resulting layoff forced her out of the Top 100 until her return to singles action in May 2009.

Sharapova struggled to regain her consistency against the premier women's players, but she was back in the Top 20 by the end of 2009, and finished 2011 ranked No. 4 in the world. In June 2012, Sharapova capped her comeback by defeating Sara Errani in the French Open final. The victory made her just the 10th woman to complete a career Grand Slam (wins at all four major tournaments) and allowed her to regain the world's No. 1 ranking.

At the 2012 Summer Olympic Games — Sharapova's Olympic debut — she won a silver medal in women's singles, losing the gold to American tennis star Serena Williams . The Russian continued to play well in subsequent majors, finishing runner-up at the 2013 French Open. However, shoulder problems again took a toll, and not long after a disappointing second-round loss at Wimbledon, she withdrew from action for the remainder of the season.

Regaining momentum in 2014, Sharapova won her second French Open and fifth overall Grand Slam title by defeating Simona Halep. In 2015, she advanced to the Australian Open final and the semifinals of the U.S. Open, before finishing the year ranked No. 4.

Drug Controversy and Suspension

In March 2016, Sharapova announced that she had failed a drug test at the Australian Open in January. At a press conference, the tennis star said that she had tested positive for Mildronate, with an active ingredient of meldonium, which she had been taking for health issues since 2006. The drug was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) prohibited list on January 1, 2016.

"It's very important for you to understand that for 10 years this medicine was not on WADA's banned list and I had been legally taking the medicine for the past 10 years," Sharapova said at the press conference. "But on January 1 the rules had changed and meldonium became a prohibited substance, which I had not known."

“I have to take full responsibility for it,” she added. “It’s my body, and I’m responsible for what I put into it.”

On June 8, 2016, an independent tribunal appointed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) suspended Sharapova from playing for two years because of the failed drug test.

Sharapova responded in a Facebook post: "While the tribunal concluded correctly that I did not intentionally violate the anti-doping rules, I cannot accept an unfairly harsh two-year suspension. The tribunal, whose members were selected by the ITF, agreed that I did not do anything intentionally wrong, yet they seek to keep me from playing tennis for two years. I will immediately appeal the suspension portion of this ruling to CAS, the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”

In October 2016, after Sharapova appealed her two-year suspension, the Court of Arbitration for Sport announced that her punishment would be reduced to 15 months, allowing her to return to international competition in April 2017. “I’ve gone from one of the toughest days of my career to, now, one of the happiest days,” the tennis player said in a statement.

Return and Retirement

At the conclusion of her suspension, Sharapova returned to action at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on April 26, 2017. She won her first WTA title in two years at the Tianjin Open in October, and battled her way back into the sport's Top 30 in 2018, her quarterfinal showing at the French Open among the year's highlights.

But the erstwhile champion struggled to remain competitive after advancing to the fourth round of the 2019 Australian Open, her performance hindered by nagging physical problems. On February 26, 2020, one month after her first-round loss at the Australian Open, Sharapova announced her retirement in a Vanity Fair essay .

"Looking back now, I realize that tennis has been my mountain," she wrote. "My path has been filled with valleys and detours, but the views from its peak were incredible. After 28 years and five Grand Slam titles, though, I’m ready to scale another mountain — to compete on a different type of terrain."

Business Interests and Personal Life

Off the court, Sharapova landed major commercial endorsements with Nike, Avon, Evian, TAG Heuer, Porsche and Tiffany & Co., among other companies. She was the world's highest-paid female athlete for several years, with Forbes estimating her career earnings at $325 million at the time of her retirement.

After the March 2016 announcement that Sharapova had failed a drug test, sponsors including TAG Heuer and Porsche suspended their relationships with the tennis star. Other sponsors like Nike, Evian and the racket manufacturer Head continued their support of Sharapova.

Sharapova's other business ventures include the 2012 launch of the Sugarpova candy line with Jeff Rubin, the founder of IT'SUGAR. A portion of the sales are donated to the Maria Sharapova Foundation to support her charitable causes.

“It started when I was a little girl in Russia, and my dad would reward me with a lollipop or chocolate after a long day of practice,” she wrote on the Sugarpova website. “It stood out to me then — and still today — that there’s no reason why hard work can’t be rewarded with a little sweet treat. Because the key to a happy, healthy life for me is this idea of Moderation in Moderation — you can 100% have your cake (or candy) and enjoy it, too.”

In her personal life, Sharapova began a relationship with Slovenian basketball player Sasha Vujacic in 2009, the two getting engaged the following year. However, during a post-match conference at the 2012 U.S. Open, Sharapova announced that the engagement was off and that her relationship with Vujacic had ended. Afterward, she dated Bulgarian tennis pro Grigor Dimitrov from 2013 to 2015. She has been linked to Paddle8 co-founder Alexander Gilkes since 2018 and the pair got engaged in December 2020.

QUICK FACTS

• Birth Year: 1987
• Birth date: April 19, 1987
• Birth City: Nyagan
• Birth Country: Russia
• Gender: Female
• Best Known For: Maria Sharapova is a former pro tennis player who became the first Russian woman to win Wimbledon and earned a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
• Astrological Sign: Aries

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Maria Sharapova Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/athlete/maria-sharapova
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: March 26, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014
• I'm not the next anyone, I'm the first Maria Sharapova.
• One of the keys to my success was that I never looked back and I never looked forward. I believed that if I kept grinding and grinding, I could push myself to an incredible place.

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Maria Sharapova

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Maria Sharapova (born April 19, 1987, Nyagan, Russia) is a Russian tennis player who was one of the game’s leading contenders in the early 21st century, the winner of five Grand Slam titles.

Sharapova began playing tennis as a young child, and in 1993 she caught the attention of Czech-born American tennis star Martina Navratilova . Following a suggestion by Navratilova, Sharapova and her father moved (1994) to Florida, where she quickly earned a scholarship to a tennis academy. In 2001, at the age of 14, she turned pro. At the time, women’s tennis was shifting to a power game, which suited Sharapova’s dominating style of play and her size; she eventually reached a height of 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 metres). In 2003 she competed in every Grand Slam event, with her best finish coming at Wimbledon , where she reached the fourth round. That year she won her first Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) titles, at Tokyo and Quebec City . In 2004 she defeated Serena Williams in the final at Wimbledon to win her first Grand Slam. The following year Sharapova was ranked number one for the first time in her career, reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open , Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open . In 2006 she won the latter event, and in 2008 she claimed her third Grand Slam, at the Australian Open.

Later that year, however, Sharapova was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff, an injury that eventually required surgery. She returned to the court in mid-2009, and over the next two seasons she claimed several WTA titles, though a Grand Slam championship eluded her; Sharapova’s best result occurred in 2011, when she lost the Wimbledon finals. She returned to form in 2012, however, winning the French Open to become just the seventh female player in the Open era to complete a career Grand Slam. That year she also captured a silver medal at the London Olympic Games . After a solid start in 2013—highlighted by an appearance in the French Open final, which she lost to Williams—a shoulder injury forced Sharapova to miss the last six months of the season. She returned to competitive play in 2014, and later that year she won the French Open, her fifth Grand Slam.

In March 2016 Sharapova revealed that she had taken meldonium (marketed as Mildronate)—a heart medication that had recently been added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of banned substances—during the Australian Open earlier in the year. Three months later she was suspended from tennis for two years by the International Tennis Federation for her meldonium-induced failure of a drug test. (Her suspension was reduced to 15 months upon appeal.) Sharapova returned to the WTA tour in April 2017. However, she struggled to regain her form and continued to be plagued by injuries. In 2020 she announced her retirement. Her memoir, Unstoppable: My Life So Far (written with Rich Cohen), was published in 2017.

Maria Sharapova

Russian former tennis player.

Maria Sharapova is a Russian former tennis player. She won her first grand slam title at Wimbledon in 2004 when she was 17 years old.

• Date of Birth: 19 April 1987 • Age: 37 years old • Place of Birth: Nyagan, Russia • Country (Sports): Russia • Height: 188cm / 6ft 2ins • Grand Slam Singles Titles: 5 • Turned Pro: 2001 • Retired: 2020 • Career Prize Money: $38,777,962 (£32.1m) • Net Worth: $220m / £182m (Forbes, 2022)

Sharapova burst onto the scene at SW19 as a teenager, defeating title-holder Serena Williams in straight sets to claim the title at the All England Club.

Born in Nyagan, Russia, Sharapova first started playing tennis when she was around four years old, before moving to the United States with her father in 1994.

After a promising junior career, she won her first WTA title at the Japan Open Tennis Championships in 2003, before enjoying an impressive move up the rankings.

She went on to win Wimbledon the following year and ended up capturing a total of five grand slam titles in her glittering career and achieving the world number one ranking.

Sharapova is currently ranked at number four on the highest-paid female tennis players of all time and is estimated to have a net worth in the region of $220m (£182m).

So, what do we know about Maria Sharapova’s journey to becoming the talented tennis player she was? This is her story.

Early Life, Parents And Upbringing

Maria Sharapova (full name: Maria Yuryevna Sharapova) was born on 19 April 1987 in Nyagan, Russia, to parents Yuri Sharapov and Yelena.

Maria started playing tennis when she was around four years old when she began practising with her father at a local park.

“The first time I remember seeing a tennis court, my father was playing on it,” Sharapova said in 2020 in Vanity Fair . “I was four years old in Sochi, Russia—so small that my tiny legs were dangling off the bench I was sitting on. So small that the racket I picked up next to me was twice my size.”

She showed talent from an early age and in 1993 she caught the attention of tennis star Martina Navratilova. Following a suggestion by Navratilova, a six-year-old Sharapova and her father – neither of whom could speak English at the time – moved to Florida in the United States, where she quickly earned a scholarship to a tennis academy.

Maria Sharapova (Photo: Leonard Zhukovsky / depositphotos.com)

“When I first started playing, the girls on the other side of the net were always older, taller, and stronger,” Sharapova explains. “The tennis greats I watched on TV seemed untouchable and out of reach. But little by little, with every day of practice on the court, this almost mythical world became more and more real.”

Junior Career

Sharapova was a strong junior player and peaked at number six in the junior world rankings in October 2002.

In 2000, Sharapova won the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships in the girls’ 16 division at the age of just 13.

She won a total of three junior singles titles on the ITF circuit – all in 2001 – including grade four and five titles in California and South Carolina.

Sharapova also reached the finals of the girls’ singles events at the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2002. Her win/loss ratio as a junior player in singles was 47/9.

First Grand Slam Title

After having turned professional in 2001 on her 14th birthday, Sharapova made her WTA tournament main-draw debut at the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells in March 2002. She was handed a wildcard into the first round and beat Brie Rippner to reach round two, where she lost to Monica Seles in straight sets.

Sharapova enjoyed something of a breakthrough year in 2003, when she played a full season and enjoyed a rapid rise up the WTA rankings.

She made her main-draw grand slam singles debut at the 2003 Australian Open after having come through qualifying, but lost to Klara Koukalova in the first round in Melbourne. She also came through qualifying to reach the first round of the 2003 French Open and then lost in the first round to Magui Serna.

Sharapova then enjoyed an impressive run at Wimbledon in 2003 after having been handed a wildcard into the main draw. She beat Ashley Harkleroad, Elena Bovina and Jelena Dokic to make it to round four, where she lost to fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova.

She won her first WTA title aged 16 at the Japan Open in Tokyo in October 2003, beating Aniko Kapros of Hungary in the final in three sets. Her second WTA title followed in November 2003 at Quebec City, when she overcame Milagros Sequera in the final.

Sharapova’s fine form had propelled her into the top 20 in the WTA rankings and she enjoyed a stellar run at the 2004 French Open, where she reached the quarter-finals of a grand slam for the first time. She lost to Paola Suarez of Argentina in the last eight in Paris.

Maria Sharapova after winning Wimbledon in 2004 (Photo: Wimbledon / YouTube / Screengrab)

After having claimed her third career WTA title in Birmingham in the lead-up to Wimbledon in 2004. Sharapova went on to make history at the All England Club.

Sharapova beat the likes of Daniela Hantuchova, Ai Sugiyama and Lindsay Davenport to set up a 2004 Wimbledon final showdown with Serena Williams. In the final, Sharapova sealed an impressive 6-1 6-4 victory to claim her first grand slam title, aged 17 years and 75 days.

“It’s unreal,” Sharapova said afterwards. “My father and I have been through this together and it’s just amazing. I know how tough it is to watch and playing is a lot easier so I owe him so much. It’s always been my dream to come here and win but it was never in my mind that I would do it this year.”

“When I came off court and saw my name on that board with all the champions, that was when I realised what I’d done.

Reflecting on her victory at Wimbledon in 2020, Sharapova said: “I was a naive 17-year-old, still collecting stamps, and didn’t understand the magnitude of my victory until I was older—and I’m glad I didn’t.”

Sharapova capped her sparkling year in 2004 by winning the WTA Tour finals, defeating Serena Williams in the final, 4–6, 6–2, 6–4.

“I’m still in shock,” Sharapova said after securing the victory in one hour and 46 minutes. “I can’t believe the way I pulled it out. It’s very unreal the way I stuck in there. It’s been an amazing year.”

More Progress And Later Career

Sharapova would go on to enjoy a sparkling tennis career, but her next grand slam title did not arrive until 2006 at the US Open.

There, she beat the likes of Li Na, Tatiana Golovin and Amelie Mauresmo to reach the final at Flushing Meadows, where she defeated Justine Henin in straight sets.

Maria Sharapova (Photo: China Images / Imagine China Limited / depositphotos.com)

“The first thing that comes to mind when you go down in the ground, you think of everything you put into the moment,” Sharapova said afterwards. “Not just preparation that happened two weeks before the tournament but preparation that goes back to when I was a little girl.”

Sharapova won a further three grand slam titles during her career – the Australian Open in 2008, and the French Open in both 2012 and 2014. She was last ranked at number one in the world in August 2005.

Following a failed drug test from the 2016 Australian Open, in which she tested positive for meldonium, a substance that had been banned from 1 January 2016 by the World Anti-Doping Agency, Sharapova was provisionally suspended from competitive tennis with effect from 12 March.

On 8 June 2016, she was banned for two years by the International Tennis Federation. The suspension was later reduced to 15 months, starting from 26 January 2016 – which was the date of the drug test she had failed.

In February 2020, Sharapova announced her retirement from playing tennis after a 28-year career. Writing in an article for Vanity Fair , she said: “Tennis showed me the world – and it showed me what I was made of. It’s how I tested myself and how I measured my growth. And so in whatever I might choose for my next chapter, my next mountain, I’ll still be pushing. I’ll still be climbing. I’ll still be growing.”

As is the case with most sports stars and celebrities, there is no ‘official’ number available for Maria Sharapova’s net worth. However, a number of publications have attempted to estimate the total value of her fortune.

As of June 2022, Forbes estimated that Sharapova’s net worth is in the region of $220m (£182m).

In 2006, Forbes estimated that Sharapova had earned $18m in one year from her sponsorship deals with the likes of Canon, Motorola and Nike.

Sharapova is one of highest-earning women’s players in tennis history. She earned a total of $38,777,962 (£32.1m) in prize money from the sport, combined for both singles and doubles, placing her at number four on the all-time WTA top earners list.

Life Away From The Court

Following her impressive success on the tennis court, Sharapova become a serious force in the business world with a series of successful ventures, including a Nike apparel collection, a Porsche ambassadorship, and her own candy and chocolate line, Sugarpova.

According to her WTA profile page, her favourite foods are Russian and Thai cuisine and her favorite dessert is French crepes with nutella.

Some of her other interests include fashion, singing, dancing and watching movies. She has an extremely strong following on social media and in 2014 became first tennis player, male or female, to pass 15 million fans on Facebook. At the time of writing, Sharapova had 4.4m followers on Instagram.

Maria Sharapova with her partner Alexander Gilkes, pictured in 2022 (Photo: @mariasharapova / Instagram)

When announcing her retirement from playing tennis in 2020, Sharapova revealed some of the things she was looking forward to. “There are a few simple things I’m really looking forward to – A sense of stillness with my family. Lingering over a morning cup of coffee. Unexpected weekend getaways. Workouts of my choice (hello, dance class!).”

Since 2018, Sharapova has been in a relationship with British businessman Alexander Gilkes. In December 2020, Sharapova and Gilkes revealed they are engaged. In July 2022, the couple welcomed their first son, Theodore.

What Have Others Said?

Justine Henin-Hardenne, speaking after losing to Sharapova in the 2006 US Open final: “She’s been a real fighter tonight. The better player won tonight.”

Serena Williams, speaking about Sharapova in 2021: “I got a chance to hang out with her at Met Gala. She’s fun. We talked, we clicked, we laughed. We talked about tennis, and it was really, really fun, and I loved it.”

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Maria Sharapova Biography Facts, Childhood, Personal Life

Maria Sharapova is a Rusian professional tennis player in the WTA who inspires wonders and encourages young ones, especially girls, to infuse passion as well as hard work in whatever chosen field of career. Sharapova is one of the greatest sportswomen the game of tennis has known. Earning accolades as well as breaking records, Sharapova is one few women as well as the only Rusian who holds the Grand Slam. We journey into the life of this great sports character in our Maria Sharapova biography facts, childhood and personal life.

Table of Contents

Maria Sharapova Biography Facts, Age

Maria Sharapova Childhood and Early Life

Maria Sharapova was born on 19 April 1987 to her mother, Yelena Sharapova and father, Yuri Sharapova, in the Nyagan town of Russia.

Sharapova’s interest in Tennis was one which was noticed by her father’s friend Aleksandr Kafelnikov who handed her the first racquet she’s owned at the tender age of four. Aleksandr’s son was Russia’s first world title after claiming several Grandslams. Her unusual and brilliant style of play was noticed also by the coach (Yuri Yutkin) who taught Sharapova her first Tennis lesson.

When Sharapova turned six, she began taking Tennis classes at a Tennis clinic. On seeing Sharapova progress, they recommended she attended IMG Academy, Florida for her professional training. Despite not having sufficient funds, her determined father (Yuri Sharapova) borrowed money in order to see his little girl get the best Tennis training to compete in the major league. Upon her arrival to Florida, Yuri resorted to menial jobs, to sponsor his little girl’s Tennis classes, pending the time she was of age to enrol in the Academy. Before she attended Academy, Sharapova trained with the Rick Macci Tennis Academy. However after signing with IMG, Sharapova discontinued her session with Rick Macci.

Maria Sharapova Tennis Career

Sharapova announced her arrival to the Tennis world in 2000, after defeating other contestants to claim the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championship. She won the girls 16 division at the tender age of 13. After winning the tournament, Sharapova was awarded the Rising Star Award. The award was of significant joy to Sharapova as it was not just awarded to any tennis player, but those who have shown phenomenal and unique tennis prowess.

Sharapova went pro on her 14 th birthday and competed for the first time in the 2002 WTA tournament match. As a result of the varieties of restrictions in professional tennis, she went to Junior tournaments to improve her skills. Sharapova went on to become the youngest girl to get to the final of the Australian Open junior championship at just 14 years old. In October 2002, Sharapova was ranked no.6 in the ITF junior world rankings. Sharapova won three junior singles tournament and emerged runner-up in five tournaments in total.

In 2003, a focus-driven Sharapova played in an entire season which saw her rankings climb up to the top 50. She debuted in the French Open and the Australian Open but failed to secure a win. In September 2003, Sharapova secured her first WTA title at the Japan Open Tennis Championship. She went on to win the Bell Challenge.  At the end of the season, Sharapova has bestowed the WTA Newcomer of the Year Award.  After reaching the third round of two Tier 1events, the Qatar Telecom German Open and the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Sharapova booked her space in the top 20 on the WTA World rankings.

Sharapova also went on to defeat a top 10 ranked player, Elena Dementieva, for the first time in her career, in the 2004 French Open. She reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, the French Open. Sharapova also won her career third title, the DFS classic. She also advanced on to defeat Serena Williams who was then the defending champion to win the Wimbledon title, her first ever Grand slam singles title. Her win saw her become the second Russian woman to win the Grand Slam singles titles, and the third youngest woman to claim the Wimbledon title.  Sharapova also moved her rankings to the top-10 due to her win. Sharapova became the cynosure of the media after her Wimbledon title win, she competed in the US Open where she was eliminated in the third round. Sharapova competed in different Asian tournaments where she won successive titles, the Hansol Korea Open Tennis Championships as well as the Japan Open Tennis Championships. In October, Sharapova defeated major stars to reach the finals of several major events. She defeated Venus Williams to reach the final of the Zurich Open which she lost. At the WTA Tour Championship, she defeated Serena Williams in the Final to win the tournament.

At the 2005 Australian Open, Sharapova went on to the final before she lost to Serena Williams . She won the Toray Pan Pacific Open and the Qatar Total Open, which saw her rankings shoot up to no. 3. Sharapova got to the final of diverse major tournaments which she lost; they include the semi-final of the Pacific Life Open, the NASDAQ-100 Open, the semi-final of the Italian Open as well as the quarter final of the French Open. Sharapova also defended her DFS classic tournament but failed to do so with her Wimbledon Tournament. In August 2005, Sharapova became world no.1 for the first time.

Sharapova 2006 campaign began with a gloomy loss in the Australian Open, but she made up for her loss by winning the Indian Wells, a tier 1 event. At the French Open, Sharapova was unsuccessful, losing in the fourth round, as well as the semi-finals at the Wimbledon. Sharapova improved to win her second title of the 2006 campaign, the Acura Classic, before going on to win, the US Open, her second Grand Slam Singles title. Sharapova also claimed consecutive titles—the Zurich Open and Generali Ladies Linz. She finished the year at the no.2 spot in theworld rankings.

After losing out in the Australian Open final in 2007, Sharapova returned to the no. 1 spot in the world rankings. She fell out of the no. 1 spot after failing to defend her Pacific Life Open title. Sharapova went on to secure her only title of 2007, the Acura Classic after failing to win the DFS Classic as well as the French Open after suffering a shoulder Injury. She also failed to defend her US Open title. At the end of the year, Sharapova was in the top 5 in the world rankings. Sharapova won her third Grand Slam titles singles, the Australian Open despite not being considered a favourite, she also entered the world no.1 following the retirement of world no.1 Henin from professional tennis and also her immediate request for the removal of her rankings by the WTA. Sharapova began to decline after losing out in the French Open in the fourth round as well as the second round in the Wimbledon title. Sharapova missed majors tournaments which included the US Open, and the WTA Tour Championships after it was revealed that she suffered a rotator cutoff tear.

In the next season campaign, Sharapova struggled in tournaments. This saw her rankings go down to no. 32.

In 2011, Sharapova made considerable improvements to secure her spot in the top 10 in the world ranking despite not claiming any title.  She finished the year at no. 4.

Sharapova competed in several events in 2012 but failed to secure any victory. However, she defeated three Grand Slam title holders to claim her first title, Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. She went on to defend her Italian Open title, marking the fourth time she has defended her title. She also went on to claim her first French Open title, while returning to the no. 1 spot in the world rankings. After being selected as the Russian Olympic team flagbearer, Sharapova went to the Wimbledon but failed and was defeated in the semi-finals. At the Olympics, Sharapova suffered her worst defeat from Serena Williams in the final of the 2012 Olympic Tennis tournament.  At the US open, she was ousted in the semi-finals. At the final of the China Open, Sharapova suffered her 13 th defeat to Serena Williams .

Her 2013 season was plagued with a collar-bone injury. Despite this, she advanced to the finals of notable events, which included the semi-final Australian Open where she was defeated by Li Na, the Qatar Total Open, where she suffered her 10 th consecutive defeat to Serena Williams . She, however, won the Indiana Wells tournament. Her win saw her move to the no. 2 spots after dropping off from no. 1 earlier. She suffered her 11 th  and 12 th consecutive defeat to Serena Williams in the Sony Open and Madrid Open in the final of both events. She suffered a similar fate at the French Open Final. Following her comeback from treatment after her shoulder injury, Sharapova lost the Australian Open in the fourth round as well as the Indiana Well Masters, which saw her rankings move down to no. 7. She went on towin her first title of the year, the Stuttgart Open.

Sharapova didn’t slow down but worked hard to win her second French Open title in 2014. Her success continued as she won the Madrid Open, but failed to do so in the Italian Open. She also won the China Open which saw her finish the year at the no. 2.

Sharapova began her 2015 season, with the Brisbane Invitational title, her 34 th title. She also went on to compete in the Australian Open where she advanced to the final but lost.  After series of lost in several events, Sharapova claimed her Rome title for the third time.  At the end of the 2015 season, Sharapova ranked no. 4 in the world.

Sharapova’s 2016 campaign was one marred by a doping scandal. After withdrawing from the Brisbane Invitational, she withdrew from several other events including the Qatar Open, stating her injury in her left forearm was the reason. Sharapova was tested positive to a banned substance meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, she was handed a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation. Her ban was reduced to 15 months in October 2016, beginning from January 26, when she failed the drug test.

Sharapova returned to action in April 2017. She received a wildcard to several events which she competed in but failed to win any except the Tianjin Open, which was her first WTA win since returning.

Her 2018 campaign saw her struggle for more tournament wins, which she didn’t get. In the French Open, she qualified to the fourth round where she set to face longtime rival Serena Williams who withdrew citing injury. Sharapova progressed to the quarter-final of the French Open, her first Grand Slam quarter since the 2016 Australian Open but lost out.  She finished the 2018 season in the top 30, precisely no. 29.

Maria Sharapova Personal Life

Sharapova has been involved in romantic relationships with bigwigs in different industries, from sports, TV to Music. She dated Charlie Ebersol, a TV producer in 2008. After moving on from her break up with Charlie, Sharapova became engaged to Slovenian professional basketball player Sasha Vujacic after dating for a couple of years.  They separated in 2012. Sharapova is currently dating Paddle8 president, Alexander Gilkes.

Despite having lived in the US for more than a decade, Sharapova isn’t a citizen. This is as a result of her choice to hold on to her Russian citizenship.

Sharapova has a foundation named the Maria Sharapova foundation aimed at aiding children worldwide in reaching their goals. Her foundation has donated huge amounts of money to different causes, notably the Chernobyl-recovery project. 

Sharapova is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Sharapova has several endorsement deals with top brands which include Motorola and Porsche.

Sharapova has a candy line dubbed Sugarpova, launched by IT’SUGAR.

Maria Sharapova Awards and Achievement

Sharapova has to her credit, 5 Grand Slam Titles—One at Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open and two at French Open along with 35 singles titles.

Maria Sharapova was appointed the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the UNDP specifically for the Chernobyl recovery projects in 2007.

Maria Sharapova was the first torchbearer in the lighting ceremony of the Rusia Winter Olympics in 2014.

Other awards include:

• Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award (2014, 2012, 2008)
• Teen Choice Award For Choice Female Athlete (2007)

SEE MORE: Biography facts and profile of famous tennis players

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April 19, 1987 • Nyagan, Siberia, Soviet Union

Tennis player.

In the summer of 2004, seventeen-year-old Maria Sharapova became the first Russian player to win Wimbledon, the prestigious tennis event that takes place every summer in London, England. Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam events in tennis, along with the U.S., French, and Australian Open tournaments, and winners of these contests have triumphed over the best players in the world. Sharapova, who had spent much of her life in Florida at a renowned tennis academy, was the third youngest champion in Wimbledon history, and her women's singles Wimbledon title came with a $1 million prize purse. Afterward, she was signed to a number of product endorsement deals. By the summer of 2005, she had won a spot on Forbes magazine's Celebrity 100 list as the highest paid female athlete in the world.

Says good-bye to mother

Born on April 19, 1987, Sharapova is the daughter of Yuri and Yelena Sharapova. Her father worked in the construction industry, and both parents were avid athletes. They had met in Gomel, a city in the Ukraine that was near the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, the site of the world's worst nuclear accident in April 1986, just a year before Sharapova was born. When her mother became pregnant, she and Yuri decided to move east to escape the potentially damaging radioactive effects of the accident. They settled in Nyagan, Siberia, where Sharapova was born. Yuri found work in the Siberian oilfields, but the climate was too cold for them. They saved their money for four years and finally were able to move to Sochi, a pleasant resort town on the Black Sea in the south of Russia.

Sharapova's parents liked to play tennis, and they gave her a racket as a toddler and began teaching her how to hit the ball. Because they could not afford a genuine child-size racket, they cut off the handle of an adult one for her to master instead. She proved a quick learner, and when she was six years old they traveled to Moscow for a youth tennis clinic. One of the celebrity athletes at the event was Czech-born Martina Navratilova (1956–), a nine-time women's singles winner at Wimbledon. Navratilova was impressed by Sharapova's skills and suggested to the parents that they contact the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. This was a tennis-focused boarding school that had trained several future champions, including Andre Agassi (1970–), Pete Sampras (1971–), and Monica Seles (1973–).

"Tennis obviously is going to make my money at this point, and that's what I've been practicing for. But it's not my life."

The Sharapovas decided to go to Florida and try to get Maria enrolled there. But only Yuri could get a visa (a document permitting a foreign citizen to legally enter the country) to travel to the United States, and so Yelena stayed behind in Sochi and waited for her visa application to be approved. They also needed money for the trip and had to borrow several hundred dollars from Yuri and Yelena's parents. This was an enormous sum for her parents, partly because Russia was in a state of financial chaos at the time, and average working families like hers struggled to obtain the basic necessities of life in the new, non-Communist era in which the state did not generously provide jobs, housing, and healthcare for all citizens. "My parents weren't stupid," Sharapova told Peter Kafka in Forbes. "The conditions in Russia weren't the best for tennis."

Wins scholarship

In 1994 Sharapova and her father arrived at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, but they were told that admission to the school was by invitation only, and that the seven-year-old girl was too young to enter anyway. They remained in Florida, and a coach was found for her while her father worked as a waiter and took odd jobs to support them. She learned English in just four months, and her tennis skills steadily improved. At the age of nine, she and her father went back to the Bollettieri Academy, and she proved herself so well on a tryout that she was given a full scholarship to the $46,000-a-year school. The Academy was part of the International Management Group (IMG), a talent agency that handled the careers of entertainers and athletes, and its scouts likely recognized Sharapova's potential for future stardom.

Around this same time, Yelena Sharapova finally received her visa and was able to join her husband and daughter, ending a two-year separation. But when Sharapova entered the Bollettieri Academy, she had to live in its boarding school. She later hinted in interviews that it was a tough, competitive atmosphere, and she was sometimes the target of bullying by the older girls. Her days included regular academic classes and as many as six hours a day on the tennis courts in practice sessions. At the age of eleven, she signed on with coach Robert Lansdorp, who had guided the careers of Sampras as well as Tracy Austin (1962–), a two-time U.S. Open winner, and Lindsay Davenport (1976–), who won three Grand Slam events between 1998 and 2000. Sharapova also signed with IMG around this time, and this paved the way for her first deal with Nike, the athletic shoe and clothing maker.

Sharapova won her first junior championship title at the age of thirteen. Two years later, she made it to the finals of the Australian Open Junior championship, which was her best ranking in tennis to date, and entered her first adult professional

Perhaps the World's Poshest Sporting Event

Maria Sharapova's stunning victory over Serena Williams (1981–) at Wimbledon in 2004 made the Russian-born player the third youngest winner in the history of the tournament. Wimbledon, watched by millions of television viewers all over the world, is considered one of the world's most prestigious sporting events. Officially, the Grand Slam event is known as "The Championships, Wimbledon," and is held annually in the town of Wimbledon, a part of the Greater London metropolitan area.

The first Wimbledon tennis championship was held in the summer of 1877, and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club was its sponsor. The event included only men's singles, though they were known for many years as "gentlemen's" singles. Ladies' singles and gentlemen's doubles events were added in 1884.

The present rye-grass courts of Wimbledon, located off Church Road, have been host to the annual event since 1922. There are nineteen courts in all, with Centre Court hosting the finals matches. But the grass surface has proved an extremely difficult one for some of the world's top-ranked players, because the ball's bounce is not as high as on a clay court. Players who adopt the serve-and-volley technique—in which they make their serve, then rush toward the net to hit the next shot as a volley—tend to fare better on grass courts.

Wimbledon still has many quaint English traditions. All umpires, officials, and court associates wear uniforms of the official Wimbledon colors, green and purple. The dress code for players is a strict one, with tennis whites strongly suggested, and female players are still referred to as "Miss" or "Mrs." in official announcements. Until 2003, all Centre Court players had to bow or curtsy toward the Royal Box, where members of the Royal Family watch the game, when they came onto the court. Now they are expected to do so only if the Queen or the Prince of Wales is in the Royal Box that day. Rain delays, common to the English summer, often delay matches for hours or even days. Strawberries and cream are the unofficial snack food of the event.

Members of the British royal family are not the only famous faces in the Wimbledon crowd. Movie stars, heads of state, and celebrity athletes from other sports can also be spotted. The most photographed couple in 2005 were film stars Jude Law (1972–) and his fiancée, Sienna Miller (1981–).

tournament in Tokyo, Japan, in September 2003. In the finals of that event, she defeated Aniko Kapros (1983–) of Hungary. A month later, she won an event in Quebec City, Canada, and in June 2004 beat Tatiana Golovin (1988–), a fellow Russian player and former Bollettieri schoolmate, at a Birmingham, England tournament.

Makes tennis history

Two weeks later, Sharapova made her second appearance at Wimbledon. She had played it a year earlier, in 2003, but lost in an early round to Svetlana Kuznetsova (1985–), another emerging Russian player. When Sharapova began at Wimbledon in 2004, she was "seeded," or ranked by the Wimbledon executive committee, as thirteenth among women players in the world. This meant that there were twelve other players with more wins, and more experience on the court, but she steadily advanced through the quarterfinals and semifinals. She became the first Russian tennis player to reach a Wimbledon final since 1974, when a woman named Olga Morosova did so.

Of the four Grand Slam events, the Wimbledon tournament is the only one that is played on a grass court, not a clay one. It seemed to give Sharapova an advantage, noted New York Times writer Christopher Clarey. "Sharapova's big game is ideally suited to grass," Clarey asserted. "She hits relatively flat, favors slice serves over high-kicking topspin serves and clearly enjoys moving on a surface that leaves many players frustrated." In the women's singles finals, Sharapova beat two-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams (1981–). At seventeen years and two months, Sharapova became the third youngest winner in the history of Wimbledon, which dated back to 1877. At the post-tournament press conference, she said that "it's always been my dream to come here and to win," the New York Times report quoted her as saying, "but it was never in my mind that I would do it this year."

Eliminated at next Grand Slam event

The U.S. Open was the next Grand Slam event in the 2004 season. This contest is held in Flushing Meadows, New York, just outside New York City. Anticipation among tennis lovers to see how Sharapova would do ran high as the event got underway. She did poorly, however, losing to Mary Pierce (1975–) in the third round. Later that year, Sharapova's game improved, and she beat Serena Williams at the season-ending Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour Championship.

Sharapova had spent some of the rain delays at Wimbledon studying for her high school diploma, which she earned with the help of an online curriculum program for home-schooled students. In April 2005 she celebrated her eighteenth birthday in New York City at a trendy nightclub called Hiro. The bash was paid for by cell-phone maker Motorola, with whom she had signed an endorsement deal just after her Wimbledon victory the year before. It was one of several generous contracts that Sharapova's IMG agent negotiated for her. These included a renewal of the Nike endorsement, a deal with camera-maker Canon, another with luxury-watch maker Tag Heuer, and one with personal-care products giant Colgate-Palmolive. There was even her own fragrance line in the works. The combined endorsement deals gave Sharapova an income of $18.2 million, according to Forbes magazine, which ranked her as fifty-seventh on its "Celebrity 100" list in June 2005.

Sharapova spent $2.7 million of those earnings on a 4,700-square-foot home for herself and her parents in Bradenton, Florida. She continued to train for more Grand Slam events over the winter. In early 2005, she lost in the semifinals of the Australian Open to Serena Williams, and at Stade Roland Garros, the red-clay court Paris stadium that hosts the French Open every May, she lost in the quarterfinals to Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne (1982–). At Wimbledon a month later, she failed to keep her title, losing in the semifinals to Venus Williams. "I don't think I played my best tennis," she told reporters at the post-game press conference. She also said that Williams had "hit a lot of hard, deep balls. She was serving consistently big."

"I'm not the new anyone"

Sharapova is often compared to Anna Kournikova (1981–), a slightly older Russian player, also an attractive blonde like Sharapova, who was hailed as the next big star when she was just sixteen years old. Kournikova also won a number of well-paying endorsement contracts early in her career but, unlike Sharapova, failed to win any major titles in tennis. Known for her romances with hockey player Sergei Federov (1969–) and pop singer Enrique Iglesias (1975–), Kournikova played her last major tennis tournament in April 2003. Serious analysts of the sport, however, note there are few similarities between the two Russian players beyond their model-like, blonde looks. Sharapova has sometimes responded to the comparisons with a sharp remark in interviews. "I'm not the new anyone and certainly not the new Kournikova," she said in a Times article during Wimbledon 2004. "I'm the new Maria Sharapova. People seem to forget that Anna isn't in the picture any more. It's Maria time now. You cannot compare us anyway. After all, she never won a single tournament."

Sharapova hopes to take her second women's singles title at Wimbledon and perhaps even a "Grand Slam"—winning Wimbledon plus the Australian, French, and U.S. Opens in the same year. No other female player has done so since German champion Steffi Graf (1969–) in 1988. Sharapova also looks forward to a career beyond tennis. She has done some modeling, is a devoted reader of fashion magazines, and has even helped design some of her court outfits with Nike. Fashion design might even be a career option when she retires from tennis, which she told Vogue writer Dodie Kazanjian she planned to do in her mid-twenties. Acting would be another option. "Nothing scares me," she told Kazanjian, "because I'm not worried about failure. You never know until you try. So if you don't try, you've failed. All I know is, I'm starving to be the best."

For More Information

Periodicals.

Burt, Jason. "Tennis: Wimbledon 2004: Girl Who Came in from the Cold after Friday Night Fever." Independent Sunday (London, England) (July 4, 2004): p. 2.

Clarey, Christopher. "Sharapova Conquers Wimbledon." New York Times (July 4, 2004): p. SP1.

Kafka, Peter. "The Hot Shot." Forbes (July 4, 2005): p. 116.

Kazanjian, Dodie. "The New Hit Girl." Vogue (March 2005): p. 544.

Price, S.L. "Youth Movement." Sports Illustrated (July 7, 2003): p. 72.

Roberts, John. "Tennis: Wimbledon 2005: Williams Rolls Back the Years to Dethrone Golden Sharapova." Independent (London, England) (July 1, 2005): p. 72.

Wertheim, L. Jon. "A Star (Who Happens to Be a Gorgeous 6-FootBlonde with Blistering Strokes) Is Born." Sports Illustrated (July 26, 2004): p. 58.

Woolcock, Nicola, and Ashling O'Connor. "Living the Dream fromSiberia to SW19." Times (London, England) (July 3, 2004): p. 3.

Maria Sharapova (RUS). http://www.wtatour.com/players/player-profiles/PlayerBio.asp?ID=…EntityID=1…CustomerID=0…OrderID=0…ReturnURL=/…PlayerID=310137 (accessed on August 23, 2005).

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Maria Sharapova Biography

Birthday: April 19 , 1987 ( Aries )

Born In: Nyagan, Russia

Maria Yuryevna Sharapova is a world renowned professional tennis player who hails from Russia. She started her professional tennis career at the age of 14 and despite suffering from multiple injuries during the course of her career, Maria Sharapova is one of the few woman tennis players to earn many accolades and retain her position in the sport. Other than sports, she has endorsed multiple brands owing to her popularity and good looks. Maria Sharapova has also supported the United Nations Development Programme. Though a Russian national, she has been residing in Florida, United States of America since 1994. Her performance and accompanied grunts during the game has earned her nicknames like “Screaming Cinderella” and “Siberian Siren” from media and press. Maria Sharapova however admits that screaming aids her in concentrating on the game. Her interests other than sports are towards music, reading and fashion. Maria Sharapova is also known to have avid interest in collecting stamps. She has her own website and has immense fan following on social media platforms such as twitter, facebook etc.

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Nick Name: The Siberian Siren, Sibirskaya Sirena

Also Known As: Maria Yuryevna Sharapova

Age: 37 Years , 37 Year Old Females

father: Yuri Sharapov

mother: Yelena Sharapova

Born Country: Russia

Tennis Players Russian Women

Height: 6'2" (188 cm ), 6'2" Females

Ancestry: Belarusian Russian

awards: 2014; 2012; 2008 - Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award 2007 - Teen Choice Award for Choice Female Athlete

You wanted to know

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Sharapova is known for her business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit. She founded her own confectionery brand called Sugarpova, which has become a successful venture outside of tennis.

See the events in life of Maria Sharapova in Chronological Order

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Maria Sharapova

Personal information.

Maria Sharapova News

Maria sharapova: a brief biography.

Maria Sharapova is one of the most popular female athletes in the world, and also one of the most successful. The winner of 5 Grand Slams in singles, and with a slew of endorsement deals in her bag, Sharapova is often called the face of women's tennis.

Best finish at each of the four Grand Slams:

Australian Open: Champion (2008)

French Open: 2-time Champion (2012, 2014)

Wimbledon: Champion (2004)

US Open: Champion (2006)

Highest Ranking: No. 1

No. of weeks at No. 1: 21

Style of play, strengths and weaknesses

Sharapova is a hard-hitting baseliner who likes to use her height and power to wrest the initiative away from her opponents.

Standing 6'2" tall, Sharapova is capable of hitting flat groundstrokes from virtually any position in the court. She hits big off both wings, although her backhand is more reliable than her forehand.

Sharapova has a good first serve but a very shaky second serve. She doesn't go for much spin on the second serve, so when it lands in it often wins her a free point. The flip side is that she doesn't have as much control over it as most other top players do, and coughs up a fair few double faults in almost every match.

Sharapova doesn't have the softest hands and so refrains from coming to the net too often. However, she has an excellent swing volley which she uses to finish points whenever she finds herself in the middle of the court.

Sharapova has a very effective return, with both the forehand and the backhand. Her long limbs enable her to reach wide serves and return them with interest.

Sharapova's movement is not the quickest. While she has worked on improving her footwork over the years, she still gets wrong-footed on many occasions.

Significant Maria Sharapova records

Sharapova has put together a remarkable career for herself. Here is a list of her most impressive records:

- One of only 10 women to complete the Career Grand Slam (winning all the four Grand Slams)

- First Russian woman to achieve the World No. 1 ranking

- 3rd-youngest woman to win Wimbledon, behind Lottie Dod and Martina Hingis

Personal life

Sharapova was born in Nyagan, Russia, but her family soon moved to Sochi in order to escape the after-effects of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Having picked up tennis at the age of four, Sharapova displayed exceptional hand-eye coordination early on. That convinced her father Yuri Sharapov to move to Florida, so that she could join the IMG Tennis Academy there.

The father-daughter duo moved to the USA in 1994, and Maria joined the academy in 1996 at the age of nine.

She climbed up the ranks of junior tennis very quickly in the USA, and in 2002 became the youngest girl ever to reach the final of the Australian Open junior tournament. After her pro tour debut and Wimbledon win at the age of 17, she became one of the most recognizable faces in tennis, winning several endorsement deals including Nike, Tag Heuer, Porsche, Head and Evian.

In 2016 Sharapova shocked the world by announcing that she had tested positive for the banned substance meldonium, which she insisted she had been taking for the previous 10 years for medical reasons. She was given a 15-month suspension by the ITF for her transgression, and when she returned to the tour in 2017 she was met with hostility by several players and experts who believed she had got off lightly.

Sharapova has her own candy brand called 'Sugarpova', which she launched in 2013.

With 5 Grand Slams, numerous stints as World No. 1 and a host of other big titles, Sharapova has put together a Hall-of-Fame worthy career. Her intensity and relentlessness have been widely praised by tennis watchers all over the world, and her ability to overcome her physical limitations with mental strength alone has made her a popular icon.

At the start of her career, many feared that she would follow in the footsteps of fellow Russian Anna Kournikova - millions of dollars in endorsement deals, but middling success on the court. Sharapova put paid to those thoughts with her achievements at the Slams, and made a mark for herself as one of the best players of the 21st century.

Her drug-related suspension in 2016 does put a question mark on her legacy. But the fact that she has returned to the tour and challenged for titles again suggests that she would've been a champion regardless of her meldonium use.

Sharapova continues to draw in huge crowds wherever she plays, and the suspension aside, she has been a terrific ambassador for the sport of tennis.

Social media presence:

Maria Sharapova Instagram: @mariasharapova

Maria Sharapova Twitter: @MariaSharapova

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Russia, Grand Slam, Sugarpova: Everything you always wanted to know about Maria Sharapova (but never had time to find out)

Maria Sharapova remains one of the most popular tennis players even after her retirement. Here are the answers to some common questions you may have about the Russian

Who is Maria Sharapova?

Maria Sharapova is a former professional tennis player from Russia. She won five Grand Slam titles and was ranked No 1.

Where was Maria Sharapova born?

Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987, in Nyagan, Soviet Union. Her parents, Yuri Sharapov and Yelena, are from  Gomel , Byelorussian SSR. When she was three years old, Sharapova’s family moved to Sochi, Russia.

Along with her father, Maria moved to the United States to pursue her tennis career in 1994 while her mother stayed back home for two years due to visa restrictions. In 1995, she was signed by  IMG after which she stayed at the Nick Bollettieri Academy.

How many Grand Slams did Maria Sharapova win?

Sharapova won five Grand Slam singles titles during her career. The Russian won her first major at Wimbledon in 2004 as a 17-year-old beating Serena Williams in the final.

She added the 2006 US Open , 2008 Australian Open , and the 2012 and 2014 French Open s to her Slam collection. Sharapova is one of 10 women, and the only Russian, to win the  career Grand Slam (winning all the four majors at least once each).

How many weeks was Sharapova ranked No 1 for?

Sharapova first reached the No 1 ranking on August 22, 2005. In total, she was ranked No 1 for 21 weeks on five separate occasions, the last of those coming in 2012.

How much prize money DID she wIn in her career?

Sharapova earned $38,777,962 in her career. That makes her one of only three women to have earned more than $38 million in the history of the WTA Tour as of early March 2023, (the others being Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Simona Halep ).

How many WTA titles did Sharapova won?

The Russian won 36 WTA Tour singles titles in her career. She also won three WTA doubles titles in her career. Below is the list of the singles titles she won on the WTA Tour.

• 2017 – Tianjin
• 2015 – Brisbane, Rome
• 2014 – Stuttgart, Madrid, Roland Garros, Beijing
• 2013 – Indian Wells, Stuttgart
• 2012 – Stuttgart, Rome, Roland Garros
• 2011 – Rome, Cincinnati
• 2010 – Memphis, Strasbourg
• 2009 – Tokyo [Pan Pacific]
• 2008 – Australian Open, Doha, Amelia Island
• 2007 – San Diego
• 2006 – Indian Wells, San Diego, US Open, Zürich, Linz
• 2005 – Tokyo [Pan Pacific], Doha, Birmingham
• 2004 – Birmingham, Wimbledon, Seoul, Tokyo [Japan Open], WTA Finals
• 2003 – Tokyo [Japan Open], Québec City

What is Sharapova’s head-to-head against Serena Williams?

Being two of the most successful and popular figures in women’s tennis, the Sharapova and Williams rivalry was among the most followed storylines on the WTA Tour during their time on the tour.

While Sharapova managed to beat Serena when it came to endorsements and earnings off the court (the Russian was named Forbes’ highest-paid female athlete in the world for 11 consecutive years, peaking at $30 million in 2015), it was Serena who dominated their on-court rivalry, winning 20 of their 22 matches on the tour, including their last 19 meetings.

Why was Sharapova banned from tennis in 2016?

On March 7, 2016, at a press conference in a Los Angeles hotel, Sharapova announced that she had failed a drug test at the 2016 Australian Open. Sharapova admitted that she had tested positive for meldonium, an anti-ischemic drug usually prescribed for heart conditions that had been added to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)’s list of banned substances at the beginning of 2016.

The Russian was provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) effective from March 12, 2016. On June 8, the ITF announced that Sharapova would be suspended for two years. The Russian appealed the ban and in early October, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced her sanction from 24 months to 15 months.

In its statement, CAS said, “Ms. Sharapova committed an anti-doping rule violation and that while it was with “no significant fault”, she bore some degree of fault, for which a sanction of 15 months is appropriate.” Upon completion of the sanction, Sharapova returned to compete on the WTA Tour in April 2017.

When did Maria Sharapova retire?

Sharapoava announced her retirement from professional tennis after her first-round loss to Donna Vekic at the 2020 Australian Open. The loss was her third successive first-round loss at a Grand Slam event. After this match, her ranking dropped to its lowest (No 369) since August 2002.

Sharapova penned a letter in Vanity Fair magazine to announce her retirement.

Tennis showed me the world—and it showed me what I was made of. It’s how I tested myself and how I measured my growth. And so in whatever I might choose for my next chapter, my next mountain, I’ll still be pushing. I’ll still be climbing. I’ll still be growing. pic.twitter.com/kkOiJmXuln — Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) February 26, 2020

What s Sharapova’s net worth?

According to Forbes maagzine , Sharapova’s net worth is around $200 million. Besides her prize money and endoresement deals, Sharapova owns 100% of the premium candy business, Sugarpova , which posted sales of $20 million in 2019. She also invested in fast-growing sunscreen brand Supergoop in 2014 and owns around 10% of the company .

Is Maria Sharapova engaged?

In December 2020, Sharapova announced that she was engaged to British businessman Alexander Gilkes. Gilkes is the founder of Paddle8, a successful online auction house.

Does Maria Sharapova have any children?

On July 1, 2022, Maria Sharapova gave birth to her first child, a son, called Theodore.

Congratulations to tennis legend Maria Sharapova and her fiancé Alexander Gilkes for giving birth to their first child, Theodore! pic.twitter.com/cJHyXi3Wom — Relevant Tennis (@RelevantTennis) July 15, 2022

Is Sharapova on social media?

Sharapova is one of the most popular tennis players on social media. Her Twitter account is followed by more than 8.5 million people, her Instagram account by more than 4.1 million people, and her Facebook page by 15 million followers.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Maria Sharapova (@mariasharapova)

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12 Facts About Maria Sharapova

Written by Maddalena Brandenburg

Modified & Updated: 31 May 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

• Early Life Facts
• Grand Slam Titles Facts
• Retirement Facts
• Tennis Career Facts
• Wimbledon Champion Facts

Maria Sharapova is a legendary figure in the world of professional tennis. With her fierce athleticism, powerful groundstrokes, and unwavering determination, she has captured the hearts of fans around the globe. But there is more to this Russian tennis sensation than meets the eye. In this article, we will delve into 12 fascinating facts about Maria Sharapova that highlight her remarkable journey to success. From her early career breakthroughs to her off-court philanthropy, there is no doubt that Sharapova is more than just a tennis player. So, let’s uncover the lesser-known aspects of this extraordinary athlete’s life and discover what makes her a true icon in the sporting world.

Key Takeaways:

• Maria Sharapova, a tennis prodigy, won five Grand Slam singles titles and became the world’s highest-paid female athlete, inspiring young athletes with her determination and resilience.
• Despite facing setbacks, Maria Sharapova’s legacy as an influential figure in sports continues, as she empowers aspiring athletes, particularly young women, to pursue their dreams with determination and resilience.

Maria Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987, in Nyagan, Russia.

Maria Sharapova, a Russian tennis player, was born on April 19, 1987, in the small town of Nyagan. Her talent and determination would later launch her into the global spotlight as one of the most successful athletes in the history of women’s tennis.

Sharapova turned professional at the age of 14.

At the young age of 14, Maria Sharapova decided to turn professional, embarking on a journey that would solidify her status as a tennis prodigy. Her decision to begin her professional career so early was a testament to her unwavering dedication and remarkable talent.

She won her first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon in 2004.

In 2004, Maria Sharapova claimed her first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world. This victory solidified her position as a formidable force in the tennis world , paving the way for a career filled with notable achievements.

Maria Sharapova has won a total of five Grand Slam singles titles.

Throughout her career, Sharapova showcased her exceptional skills on the court, capturing a total of five Grand Slam singles titles. These victories include two French Open titles, one Australian Open title, and one US Open title, in addition to her initial Wimbledon triumph.

She became the world’s highest-paid female athlete in 2005.

Maria Sharapova’s talent and marketability allowed her to transcend the world of sports, becoming one of the highest-paid female athletes globally in Her endorsement deals with top brands, combined with her on-court success, helped her achieve this remarkable feat.

Maria Sharapova represented Russia in the Olympic Games.

Sharapova proudly represented her country, Russia, in multiple Olympic Games. She competed in the 2012 London Olympics, winning a silver medal in women’s singles, and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where she served as the flag bearer for the Russian delegation.

She completed a career Grand Slam in 2012.

In 2012, Maria Sharapova completed a career Grand Slam by winning the French Open, adding to her previous victories at the other three major tournaments. Achieving this milestone further solidified her status as one of the greatest tennis players of her generation.

Sharapova established the Maria Sharapova Foundation.

Driven by a passion for philanthropy, Maria Sharapova established the Maria Sharapova Foundation, which focuses on providing educational and career development opportunities to underprivileged children around the world. Through her foundation, she continues to make a positive impact on the lives of many.

She was suspended from professional tennis for doping.

In 2016, Maria Sharapova faced a setback when she was suspended from professional tennis for violating the Anti-Doping Rules. This incident had a significant impact on her career but also demonstrated her resilience as she fought to reclaim her place in the sport.

Sharapova announced her retirement in 2020.

In February 2020, Maria Sharapova made the difficult decision to retire from professional tennis. She left a lasting legacy in the sport and inspired countless young athletes with her determination, grace, and fierce competitive spirit.

Maria Sharapova authored a memoir titled “Unstoppable: My Life So Far.”

Sharapova shared her inspiring journey and reflections in her memoir, “Unstoppable: My Life So Far,” which was published in The book provides insights into her career, struggles, and triumphs, allowing readers to gain a deeper understanding of her life beyond the tennis court.

She continues to be an ambassador and role model for aspiring athletes.

Even after retiring from professional tennis, Maria Sharapova remains an influential figure within the sports community. She continues to inspire and empower aspiring athletes, particularly young women, to pursue their dreams and embrace the power of determination and resilience.

Maria Sharapova’s remarkable career, marked by numerous achievements and impactful contributions, solidifies her place as one of the most influential athletes of her generation. Her journey serves as a testament to the power of talent, determination, and perseverance, inspiring countless individuals around the world.

In conclusion, Maria Sharapova is an extraordinary athlete who has left an indelible mark on the world of professional tennis. Her accomplishments, both on and off the court, speak to her dedication, resilience, and unwavering determination. From her impressive career achievements to her philanthropic endeavors, Sharapova has proven herself to be a true role model and inspiration to aspiring athletes.As one of the most recognizable and successful female athletes of her generation, Sharapova’s impact extends far beyond the realm of tennis. Her captivating personality and business ventures have solidified her status as a global superstar. Whether it’s her fashion line or her contributions to various charitable causes, Sharapova continues to make a positive impact on society.As Maria Sharapova transitions into the next phase of her life, she will undoubtedly continue to leave a lasting legacy. Her remarkable journey serves as a reminder to embrace challenges, push boundaries, and never give up on one’s dreams. Maria Sharapova will forever be remembered as a trailblazer and a true champion both on and off the tennis court.

1. What are Maria Sharapova’s major tennis achievements?

Maria Sharapova has won a total of five Grand Slam titles , including Wimbledon in 2004, the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008, and the French Open in 2012 and 2014. She has also achieved a career Grand Slam, winning all four major tournaments.

2. How did Maria Sharapova start her tennis career?

Sharapova started playing tennis at the age of four and quickly rose through the ranks. At the age of 17 , she won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, catapulting her to international fame and establishing herself as a formidable force in the sport.

3. What is Maria Sharapova’s net worth?

Maria Sharapova’s net worth is estimated to be around $195 million. In addition to her tennis career earnings, she has also amassed considerable wealth through endorsements, business ventures, and investments.

4. What charitable work has Maria Sharapova been involved in?

Sharapova has been actively involved in philanthropy throughout her career. She established the Maria Sharapova Foundation, which supports educational and developmental initiatives for underprivileged children around the world.

5. Is Maria Sharapova still playing professional tennis?

No, Maria Sharapova announced her retirement from professional tennis in 2020. She cited various factors, including injuries and a desire to focus on other aspects of her life and career.

Maria Sharapova's incredible journey inspires aspiring athletes and tennis enthusiasts alike. Discover more captivating stories, such as the intriguing facts about fellow WTA star Madison Keys . Dive into the world of sports and uncover a treasure trove of fascinating sports facts . For those passionate about tennis, explore our collection of tennis facts that will deepen your appreciation for this exhilarating sport.

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Maria Sharapova

• Born April 19 , 1987 · Nyagan, Khanty-Mansiyskiy AO, Tyumenskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Khanty-Mansiyskiy AO - Yugra, Russia]
• Birth name Mariya Yurevna Sharapova
• The Siberian Siren
• Sibirskaya Sirena
• Height 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
• Maria began hitting tennis balls at the age of four. At the age of six, she participated in an exhibition in Moscow which featured Martina Navratilova . At the age of nine, she began training at Nick Bollettieri 's Tennis Academy. During her first two years at the Academy, she was separated from her mother Yelena due to visa restrictions and finances. Maria would travel to tournaments with her father, Yuri, and coaches Robert Lansdorp , and 1984 Australian Open boys' doubles champion Mike Baroch. Yuri eventually replaced Baroch and Lansdorp with former ATP Top 100 player Michael Joyce , who guided Maria to 3 Grand Slam titles and the World #1 ranking (Lansdorp was quoted as saying in 2004: "I've never received anything from one player. Not even a $500 gift. They're all multi-millionaires but I've never received one thing. And I'm telling you, if Maria doesn't put a Mercedes convertible in my driveway, I'm going to shoot myself". Sharapova attended Lansdorp's 75th birthday party in 2013). Off-court, her interests include modeling, singing, jazz dancing, movies such as Pearl Harbor (2001) , and reading. - IMDb Mini Biography By: [email protected]
• Mariya Sharapova is a Russian former professional tennis player. Sharapova competed on the WTA tour from 2001 to 2020 and had been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA on five separate occasions, for a total of 21 weeks. She is one of ten women, and the only Russian, to hold the career Grand Slam. She is also an Olympic medalist, having won a silver medal in women's singles at the London 2012: Games of the XXX Olympiad (2012) . Sharapova achieved a rare level of longevity in tennis, and is considered one of tennis's best competitors. Sharapova became the world No. 1 for the first time on 22 August 2005, at the age of 18, becoming the first Russian female tennis player to top the singles rankings, and last held the ranking for a fifth time for four weeks from 11 June 2012, to 8 July 2012. She won five Grand Slam titles, two at the French Open and one each at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, winning 36 titles in total, including the year-ending WTA Finals in her debut in 2004. She also won three doubles titles. Since February 2007, she has been a United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador, concerned specifically with the Chernobyl Recovery and Development Programme. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Tango Papa
• Parents Yuri Sharapov Yelena Sharapova
• Plays right-handed
• 2 handed backhand
• Grunts loudly when striking the ball
• Towering height.
• Her loudest grunt was measured at 101.2 decibels (louder than a motorcycle or a lawnmower) on 21 June 2005 at Wimbledon Centre Court. Previously the loudest grunt was by Monica Seles at 93.2 decibels.
• She was (and still is) so ambidextrous that she almost became a left-handed tennis player.
• Born in Siberia, Russia, and raised in the United States since age seven. Father Yuri brought her to the U.S. in 1994, but mother Yelena didn't join them until two years later due to visa problems.
• Wears a size 10 shoe.
• Named #19 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement. (2005)
• "I wouldn't say I'm in love with them." (about her endless legs)
• Of course, because another three Slam titles will bring a lot more than $25 million, they would be worth even more [than $100 million]. (On whether she would give up her millions for more slam titles)
• Rivalries are exciting for me and for the sport. That's what women's tennis really needs and men's tennis doesn't lack.

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Maria Yuryevna Sharapova

Career Victories

Grand Slam titles:

• 2004 Wimbledon Championships
• 2006 US Open
• 2008 Australian Open
• 2012 & 2014 French Open

Non-Grand Slam titles:

• 2005 & 2009 Pan Pacific Open
• 2006 & 2013 Indian Wells Open
• 2006 & 2007 Southern California Open
• 2006 Zurich Open
• 2008 Qatar Open
• 2011, 2012 & 2015 Italian Open
• 2011 Cincinnati Open
• 2014 Madrid Open
• 2014 China Open

Accolades and Achievements

• Became the first Russian woman to win Wimbledon and earned a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics
• Has a total of 36 WTA singles titles
• Became the First female Flag bearer at the 2012 London Olympics
• Became the First Torchbearer in the lighting ceremony of 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia
• In 2003, she was awarded the Russian Cup Newcomer of the Year and WTA Newcomer of the Year
• Won the finals of 2004 WTA Tour Championships against Serena Williams
• In 2004, she was awarded the WTA Player of the Year and WTA Most Improved Player of the Year
• Became the First Russian Woman to gain the World No. 1 Ranking in 2005
• Awarded the ESPY Best Female Tennis Player in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2012
• Awarded the Russian Cup Female Tennis Player of the Year in 2005, 2006 and 2012
• Became the ESPY Best International Female Athlete in 2007
• In 2010, she received the WTA Humanitarian of the Year, WTA Most Fashionable Player (On & Off Court both) and WTA Fan Favorite Singles Player awards
• She was only the 10th woman to complete a career Grand Slam with a win at the 2012 French Open
• Awarded the Medal of the Order for Merit to the Fatherland in 2012 and 2016

Maria Yuryevna Sharapova  is a world-renowned professional tennis player from Russia who was born on April 19, 1987, in Nyagan, Siberia, Russia.  Aleksandr Kafelnikov , a family friend, presented Maria with her first tennis racket in 1991 after which she began to practice regularly with her father in a local park. She had her first tennis lessons with veteran  Russian coach Yuri Yutkin . In 1993, she went to a tennis clinic in Moscow run by  Martina Navratilova . She suggested her to take professional training at the  IMG Academy  in Bradenton, Florida. After learning to play tennis as a child, she moved to Florida with her father, receiving a scholarship at the age of nine to receive training at the  Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy , but was unable to enter there because she was too young for that.

Her father worked in various low-paying jobs so that she could take her tennis lessons. Before she was accepted into the  International Management Group (IMG) Academy , she was trained by  Rick Macci  at the Rick Macci Tennis Academy. In 1995, Maria was signed by IMG. IMG approved paying an annual tuition fee of  $ 35,000  for Maria to stay with the academy, in which she eventually enrolled at the age of 9. In November 2000, she won her first competition at the  Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championship  in the girls' 16th division. She was later bestowed with the  Rising Star Award .

Photo Credits: Craig ONeal / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

Tennis Debut

Maria made her professional debut on her 14th birthday (April 19, 2001). When she was 15, she played in the final of the Australian Open Junior tournament, making her the youngest person to reach the final, and continued to compete amongst her peers, finishing second in the Wimbledon and reaching the third round of French Open (Junior) in 2002.

I'm not the next anyone, I'm the first Maria Sharapova.

Journey of Tennis

Maria bagged her first WTA title at the 2003 AIG Japan Open and reached the fourth round of Wimbledon in her first attempt during the same year. The following year was successful for her as she won the singles title at Wimbledon and became Russia's First Female Wimbledon Champion . In late 2004, Maria added the WTA Championship title to her belt of achievements. The same year, she claimed her first Grand Slam singles title at the Wimbledon Championships . She announced herself on the world stage by defeating top-seeded Serena Williams . Maria became the first Russian woman to climb to the top rankings of the sport in 2005 and the following year claimed her second Grand Slam title with a win at the 2006 US Open , defeating Justine Henin .

Sharapova was slowed down in 2007 and 2008 due to shoulder problems, although she managed to win her third Grand Slam title with an impressive performance at the 2008 Australian Open. She underwent shoulder surgery in October and eventually dropped out of the top 100 until returning to singles action in May 2009. Maria struggled to regain her consistency against key female players, but she came back in the top 20 at the end of 2009. She finished at the No. 4 rank in the world in 2011 as she was a Wimbledon finalist that year.

She made a comeback by defeating Sara Errani in the final of the 2012 French Open in June 2012. The win made her just the 10th woman to complete a career Grand Slam by winning all the four major tournaments that allowed her to retake the world's No. 1 ranking. At the 2012 Summer Olympic Games , she made her Olympic debut where she won a silver medal in women's singles, losing a gold medal to Serena Williams . Maria continued to play well in subsequent majors and concluded with the 2nd position at the 2013 French Open . Although her shoulder problems again took a toll, and even after a disappointing second-round defeat at Wimbledon, she withdrew from action for the rest of the season. Gaining momentum in 2014, Maria defeated Simona Halep to win her second 2014 French Open and fifth overall Grand Slam title. In 2015, she reached the final of the Australian Open and semi-finals of the US Open, before being ranked No. 4.

However, due to some tough times and doping charges, she did not participate in the tournament until 2017.

Photo Credits: Misty / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Comeback and Retirement

Maria made her comeback at the 2017 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on April 26. She won her first WTA title after the two years at the Tianjin Open in the same year in October. She struggled to make her way back into the Top 30 in 2018 but her performance in the quarterfinals at the French Open was one of the best moments of the year. The former champion struggled to stay competitive after advancing to the fourth round of the 2019 Australian Open as her performance was hampered by persistent physical issues.

On February 26, 2020 , a month after her first-round defeat at the 2020 Australian Open , she announced her retirement through an essay in the Vanity Fair magazine.

One of the keys to my success was that I never looked back and I never looked forward. I believed that if I kept grinding and grinding, I could push myself to an incredible place.

Interesting Facts about Maria Sharapova

Despite suffering from many injuries during her career, Maria Sharapova is one of the few women tennis players to have earned many accolades and maintained her position in the game. Her performances during the game have earned her nicknames such as Screaming Cinderella and Siberian Siren from the media and press.

Maria has a total of 36 WTA singles titles . It includes 5 Grand Slams, a year-end championship, 6 WTA Tier singles titles, 3 WTA Premier Mandatory singles titles and 5 WTA Premier singles titles. Besides this, Maria is a silver medalist at the 2012 Summer Olympics . In addition, she won the Roland-Garros twice in 2012 and 2014 and made a total of 10 final appearances in Grand Slams.

Maria also has the distinction of being the first Russian player to rise to the top of the WTA rankings; she accomplished this feat in 2005. Additionally, Maria is one of the only 10 women to complete a Career Grand Slam. Also, she is the third-youngest woman to win Wimbledon, behind Lottie Dod and Martina Hingis . 

Video Credit: WTA / YouTube

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Maria Sharapova’s Inspiring Journey: From Russia to the Top of the Tennis World

Grab your tennis racket and get ready to be inspired! Maria Sharapova’s journey from a small town in Russia to becoming one of the most successful female tennis players in history is a story that deserves recognition. From her early struggles with language barriers and financial limitations to her triumphant victories on the court, Sharapova’s story is one of grit, determination, and passion. Join us as we explore how this extraordinary athlete worked her way up from humble beginnings to reach the pinnacle of success in the world of tennis.

Career Highlights

Maria Sharapova began playing tennis at the age of four and quickly became a top player in Russia. She achieved international success in 2006, when she won the Australian Open junior title. She made her professional debut later that year and soon became a top player on the WTA tour. Sharapova has since won many major titles, including the 2009 Wimbledon Championship and the 2012 U.S. Open Women’s Singles Title. In 2013, she was named WTA Player of the Year and was also awarded the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year. Sharapova announced her retirement from tennis in 2016 after being banned for doping offences but returned to play in 2018. She is now ranked world number two and is hoping to win another grand slam title this year.

Maria Sharapova’s Winning Streak

Maria Sharapova is one of the most successful female tennis players of all time. She has won 26 singles titles, including 11 Grand Slam tournaments, and has been ranked world number one for over 800 weeks.

Sharapova was born in Russian Federation and started playing tennis at the age of four. After winning several junior championships, she made her professional debut in 1998. Sharapova quickly rose to prominence, winning three consecutive titles at the Kremlin Cup. In 2000, she became the youngest player ever to win a Grand Slam tournament when she won the Australian Open aged 17 years and 251 days.

Sharapova has since become one of the most celebrated female athletes in the world. Her success on court has led to numerous endorsements and appearances on TV shows and radio programs. She is also a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF Russia and HELP USA.

Maria Sharapova: In the Media

Maria Sharapova is one of the most successful tennis players in history. She has won numerous awards, including nine Grand Slam singles titles and two Olympic gold medals. Sharapova’s story is one of hard work, determination, and resilience. Born in Russia, she started playing tennis at a young age and quickly developed a reputation as a top player. In 2004, Sharapova became the first woman ever to win two Grand Slam singles titles in a calendar year. She has since become one of the most iconic and successful athletes in the world.

Sharapova’s journey to the top of her sport has not been easy. She has faced several challenges along the way, including allegations of doping. Despite this, she continues to achieve success both on and off the tennis court. Her inspiring story provides inspiration for anyone who wants to achieve their goals no matter what obstacles they face.

The Rise to Stardom of Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova has long been known as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Born in Russia, she rose to prominence in the early 2000s, and has since won numerous titles and achieved widespread popularity both on and off the court. In this article, we take a look at her inspiring journey from Russia to the top of the tennis world.

Sharapova first came to prominence as a young player in Russia, where she won several junior championships. In 2000, she arrived in London to compete at the BBC Women’s Singles Championship. She advanced to the semifinals, where she faced eventual champion Serena Williams. Sharapova lost in a close match, but Williams commended her afterwards for her aggressiveness and overall play. This meeting would later help Sharapova develop into one of the best players in the world.

In 2004, Sharapova reached her first major title at Wimbledon with a victory over Justine Henin-Hardenne. She followed this up with another title at Montreal the following year. The next few years saw Sharapova cement her place as one of the best players in the world by winning more tournaments including US Open (2005), Australian Open (2006), and French Open (2007). She also reached two more consecutive grand slams finals at Wimbledon and U.S. Open before finally winning her first championship at Miami Beach in 2008.Throughout her career, Sharapova has consistently been one of the most amazing tennis players.

The Fall of Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova’s journey to the top of the tennis world was not an easy one. Born in Russia, she began her professional career as a teenager, competing in tournaments all over the world. Despite early success, it would be several years before Sharapova would breakthrough and win major championships. But when she did, the world took notice.

In 2004, Sharapova reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, becoming only the third woman ever to do so. She followed up this performance with another semifinal appearance at Wimbledon two years later. In 2006, she became only the fourth player in history to win four Grand Slam titles – Wimbledon, US Open, Australian Open and French Open – in a single season.

Sharapova’s dominance continued into 2007 and 2008 as she won three more Grand Slam titles – Wimbledon again, US Open and Olympic gold medal – during that time period. Her stellar play also saw her compile a singles record of 234-43 (.851), which still stands today. Sharapova’s success led her to being named World No. 1 for the first time in 2009.

However, things did not go smoothly for Sharapova from there on out. She failed to defend her World No. 1 ranking for long periods of time and suffered several unsuccessful runs at major tournaments throughout 2011-13 (including a loss at the US Open final). However, despite these setbacks, Sharapova

Maria Sharapova’s journey from Russia to the top of the tennis world is an inspiring one. She has faced many challenges along the way, but she has never backed down from a challenge. Her determination and drive have led her to become one of the most successful athletes in history. Maria Sharapova’s story is a testament to the power of hard work and dedication. Anyone can achieve their goals if they set their mind to it, as Maria Sharapova has shown us time and time again.

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Maria Sharapova’s Unstoppable May Just Be the Best Part of Her Comeback Tour

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In the epigraph to her new book, Unstoppable: My Life So Far , Maria Sharapova quotes Nelson Mandela, an avid tennis fan who was surely not referring to the sport when he said, “Do not judge me by my successes. Judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”

By now, even the most casual tennis fan knows the story of Sharapova’s greatest misstep. In March 2016, the athlete, then 28, held a press conference to get out in front of news that she had tested positive for Meldonium, a Latvian drug doled out with Aspirin-like frequency throughout Eastern Europe, where it is used to treat a heart condition called ischemia. The World Anti-Doping Agency had newly added the supplement to its list of banned substances, expressing concerns about Meldonium’s possible ancillary performance-enhancing benefits—particularly, perhaps, given its popularity with athletes from Russia, where a shockingly robust, state-sponsored doping operation had just come to light. Sharapova was prescribed Meldonium by a family doctor in 2006 and had been taking it ever since. She hadn't bothered to read the fine print in an email alerting her to the drug’s changed status. Then, as she writes in the first line of the prologue to Unstoppable , “at some point toward the end of the 2016 Australian Open, a nurse asked me to pee in a cup.” The rest is history.

Sharapova’s negligence would cost her: She initially faced a two-year suspension from competition, later commuted to 15 months after WADA conceded that, though in violation of the rules, she had not intentionally broken them. That mandatory hiatus ended this spring, and Sharapova, now 30, got up, dusted herself off, and rejoined the tennis tour in April.

Finding her footing has been a slow process. In May, the powers that be at the French Open denied the once-top-ranked player a wild card slot. (Justifying the decision, French Tennis Federation president Bernard Guidicelli struck a rather sanctimonious tone: “It is up to Maria day after day, tournament after tournament, to find alone the strength she needs to win the big titles without owing anything to anyone.”) In June, she had to pull out of a Wimbledon qualifying match after sustaining a thigh injury. In August, to criticism from players like Caroline Wozniacki, Sharapova was granted a wild card spot to compete in the U.S. Open—a major comeback opportunity, particularly given that her then–very pregnant rival Serena Williams , the victor in 19 of their 21 head-to-head bouts, would not be in attendance—only to be knocked out in the fourth round by Anastasija Sevastova.

It’s been some time now since Maria Sharapova made news for something positive, though Unstoppable may change that. Penned with the help of journalist Rich Cohen, Sharapova’s book is an illuminating account of, as the subtitle has it, her life so far. The memoir begins and ends with its author’s experience of the doping debacle, and though most of these chapters concern life before her suspension, the incident haunts her book: Unstoppable is about everything that made Sharapova the kind of unflappable competitor who wouldn’t let a 15-month service interruption, or the very vocal disapproval of her peers, come between her and her ambition. This is the bildungsroman of a controversial champion, a portrait of the athlete as an uncommonly driven young woman.

Maria Sharapova’s Unstoppable: My Life So Far is out next week.

It’s also a Horatio Alger–worthy tale of rags to riches, with a slightly nihilistic Russian twist. “This is a story about sacrifice, what you have to give up,” the athlete writes. “But it’s also just the story of a girl and her father and their crazy adventure.” Unstoppable takes Sharapova from in utero (her parents had her just after fleeing Gomel, Belarus, in the aftermath of an explosion at the nuclear plant in nearby Chernobyl) to the Black Sea resort town of Sochi, Russia, where the family settled after a stop in Siberia, and where Maria took up tennis as a knob-kneed kindergartener with a too-big racquet and an unusual knack for hitting, to Florida, where her 28-year-old father, Yuri, with $700 in his pocket, brought her at age 6 to seek their fortune, leaving Maria’s mother, Yelena, behind in the collapsing Soviet Union (she would eventually follow, several years later).

In America, the young athlete bounced from tennis academy to tennis academy (she calls it “tennis prison”) as her father, a non-English speaker with no connections in the States, struggled to find work, shelter, and, most pressingly, court time for his daughter. (There’s an ever-urgent sense that, for an ambitious young player, each day of non-practice can be the difference between success and failure.) They first eagerly, then warily, sought out brand-name coaches who could help Sharapova realize her potential. At Nick Bolletieri’s famed school, Sharapova trained in Anna Kournikova’s shadow and dressed in the older Russian’s hand-me-downs—until, rumor has it, Kournikova’s mother jealously convinced the coach that Yuri had kidnapped Maria. Father and daughter were cast out, though they would later be invited back. In the meantime, at another of these tennis factories, a vulture-like guru named Sekou Bangoura took them in, then withheld Yuri’s travel documents as a means of controlling his daughter, and proffered a contract to coach Maria that would have been tantamount to tennis indentured servitude.

Set apart from her peers by circumstance, talent, and her preternaturally intense focus—“That was my gift. Not strength or speed. Stamina. I never got bored. Whatever I was doing, I could keep doing it forever”—Sharapova describes a lonely childhood. It was made palatable by her affection for her father—“it all just seemed like an adventure, a fairy tale,” she writes of those early years—and by her no-nonsense, immigrant attitude toward work. “You had an air about you,” remembers Bolletieri. “This is business, and you are in my way.” She describes, at 11, signing a sponsorship contract with Nike: “For the first time, I sort of understood what it was all about. Tennis is a sport, but it’s not just a sport. It’s a passion, but it’s not just a passion. It’s a business. It’s money. It’s stability for my family. I got it now. You might think this would upset or disillusion me, but the opposite was true. I finally knew why I was doing what I was doing. I finally understood the stakes. It finally made sense. From that moment, my task became clear—just go out there and win.”

That mercenary attitude toward money—it’s not for nothing that, for 11 years, Sharapova was the highest-paid female athlete in the world—has won her more than her fair share of detractors. Much has been made over the years of Sharapova’s “unlikeability.” At this point, in fact, disliking her, or at least writing about those who do, is something of a sport in and of itself (see: “ Why Everyone In Tennis Hates Maria Sharapova ” or “ Maria Sharapova Isn’t Missed at Wimbledon Because She Is ‘Totally Unlikeable ’ ”).

In a piece last spring for Raquet magazine and Longreads , Sarah Nicole Prickett sketched out the particular contours of Sharapova’s very popular unpopularity, linking the hate to the star’s keen sense of her own marketability (Prickett compares her in this respect to Taylor Swift and Ivanka Trump). Unstoppable doesn’t refute that impression, but it does reveal something of why Sharapova is who she is. The book may not make her more likeable—why, again, do we need her to be?—but it does make her a hell of a lot more knowable.

Sharapova’s a careful observer, and Unstoppable is full of astute psychological insights. Tennis, she observes, is both “my wound, and the salve for my wound.” Her unusual composure on the court derives from those motherless years: “If you don’t have a mother to cry to, you don’t cry. You just hang in there, knowing that eventually things will change—that the pain will subside, that the screw will turn.” Of her oft-criticized failure to make friends on the circuit: “If I like you, I’ll have a harder time putting you away. I don’t believe I’m the only player who feels this way, but I am one of the few who will admit it.” She writes of her much-scrutinized closeness to her father: “At times, I could not tell his dreams from my own. Or his dreams became my dreams.” She reveals of Serena Williams: “She’s never forgiven me,” either for beating her, against all odds, in the Wimbledon final in 2004, or for eavesdropping on Williams’s private display of grief afterward in their shared locker room. One of the most affecting scenes in the book reveals its author, age 12 or 13, hiding out in a woodshed to watch the Williams sisters at practice on a rare visit to Bollettieri’s. “I’d never put myself in the position of worshipping them, looking up, being a fan.” Instead, she huddled in a nearby outbuilding, peering through a knothole, “just me alone, in the dark, seeing the next 20 years of my life.”

That attention to optics, to the nuance of perception, is important. Tennis is a game that’s equal parts head and body, performance and instinct. Sharapova has always understood this. Even when she writes about life off the court, every revelation feels calculated. There’s a matter-of-factness to her tone; this is less catharsis than analysis of the very clever ways that the author has turned her deficits into her advantages. She pays close attention to the power differentials that are the subtext for any match. There is no such thing as stasis in tennis: “Everyone is always arriving or going away.” So while her title may suggest otherwise, Unstoppable serves as a reminder of why Maria Sharapova regards herself less as a superhero than as an underdog. And that may be another crafty bit of branding: “It’s exciting when a kid wins on the biggest stage,” she writes about coming back from shoulder surgery to triumph at the 2012 French Open, a victory that clinched her career Grand Slam. Her words could just as well apply to whatever accomplishments may yet loom in her future. “That’s new life, that’s spring. But how much sweeter when a player who once had everything loses it all, and then, miraculously, gets it all back.”

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More on Sharapova...

Father is Yuri; mother is Yelena ... Started playing at age 4; at age 6 took part in Moscow exhibition that featured Martina Navratilova; began training at Bollettieri Academy at age 9 (required two-year separation from mother due to visa restrictions and finances) ... Has become a major force in the business world with a series of very successful ventures including a Nike apparel collection; a Porsche ambassadorship; and launching candy and chocolate line, Sugarpova, in 2012 (www.sugarpova.com) ... Has given a lot of time and money to charity, including the Maria Sharapova Foundation and her work as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, donating over $100,000 to Gomel area of Belarus affected by Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster from 1986, and launching a $210,000 scholarship program for students from Chernobyl area; also donated value of Porsche Cayenne she won at 2004 WTA Finals (approximately $56,300) to those affected by school hostage crisis in Beslan ... Favorite foods are Russian and Thai cuisine; favorite dessert is French crêpes w/nutella ... Other interests include fashion, singing, dancing and watching movies (favorite movies are Mona Lisa Smile, Something's Gotta Give and Love Actually) ... Has an extremely strong following on social media (in 2014 became first tennis player, male or female, to pass 15 million fans on Facebook).

Career Highlights

SINGLES Winner (36): 2017 - Tianjin; 2015 - Brisbane, Rome; 2014 - Stuttgart, Madrid, Roland Garros, Beijing; 2013 - Indian Wells, Stuttgart; 2012 - Stuttgart, Rome, Roland Garros; 2011 - Rome, Cincinnati; 2010 - Memphis, Strasbourg; 2009 - Tokyo [Pan Pacific]; 2008 - Australian Open, Doha, Amelia Island; 2007 - San Diego; 2006 - Indian Wells, San Diego, US Open, Zürich, Linz; 2005 - Tokyo [Pan Pacific], Doha, Birmingham; 2004 - Birmingham, Wimbledon, Seoul, Tokyo [Japan Open], WTA Finals; 2003 - Tokyo [Japan Open], Québec City. Finalist (23): 2015 - Australian Open; 2013 - Miami, Madrid, Roland Garros; 2012 - Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami, Olympics, Beijing, WTA Finals; 2011 - Miami, Wimbledon; 2010 - Birmingham, Stanford, Cincinnati; 2009 - Toronto; 2007 - Australian Open, Birmingham, WTA Finals; 2006 - Dubai, Miami; 2005 - Miami; 2004 - Zürich. DOUBLES Winner (3): 2004 - Birmingham (w/Kirilenko); 2003 - Tokyo [Japan Open], Luxembourg (both w/Tanasugarn). Finalist (1): 2004 - Memphis (w/Zvonareva). ADDITIONAL Russian Fed Cup Team, 2008, 2011-12, 2015; Russian Olympic Team, 2012.

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