In the global history of sports, there are some names that will forever be associated with greatness. Maria Sharapova is not an exception, as the athlete sets a prime example of true sportsmanship and excellence in traits that go beyond tennis. With so many world-class achievements and global recognition, it is essential to review how the icon reached this level of professionalism and became the master of tennis she will always be known as.
So, as soon as you are ready, buckle your seatbelts and get ready for the full tour of Maria Sharapova’s early life, rise to tennis freedom, and the most fascinating stories along the way.
Source: https://www.eonline.com/news/1126064/maria-sharapova-announces-retirement-from-tennis-after-28-years
Who Is Maria Sharapova?
Maria Sharapova is a former professional tennis player from Nyagan, Russia, born April 19th, 1987. While playing competitively, the athlete had drawn worldwide attention for her impeccable technique, powerful groundstrokes, inspiring resilience, and her fighting spirit. Although having already retired, Maria Sharapova still remains to be a pretty exciting topic of conversation in the tennis community.
The tennis star has won five Grand Slam titles, an Olympic silver medal, and numerous other prestigious awards in the sport. At the same time, Sharapova is loved and admired for more than just her skilful performances. The tennis player has done numerous top brand campaigns over the years, representing the true essence of sports in collaboration with Nike, Porsche, and Evian. Besides various marketing deals, Sharapova has also done quite a bit of individual branding work, featuring her very own Sugarpova candy.
Where Was Maria Sharapova Born?
The tennis icon was born in a small town in the Siberian Region of Russia called Nyagan. As a remote area known for its harsh living conditions and partial isolation from the world, Nyagan soon proved to be the wrong place for Sharapova’s family to work on Maria’s evident potential.
Ever since she was little, Maria did not shy away from showing off her skills and passions for tennis, a factor which eventually led to the whole family moving to the US in search of the best training opportunities. In the end, Maria’s hard work and determination paid off, as she got accepted into the famous Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida.
Despite the transfer, which was necessary to sustain the required level of professional training for Maria, the athlete never forgot about her roots and would always bring up her Russian heritage with pride.
How Many Grand Slams Did Maria Win?
In total, Maria Sharapova secured 5 Grand Slam titles throughout her tennis career. She won her first big title in 2004 at just 17 years old during Wimbledon, showing the whole world that a star is about to make her way through the tennis global rankings. An even more impressive fact from the event is that Sharapova was able to beat Serena Williams, who was considered the leading tennis player at the time. As you can guess, the tennis betting odds at the time were as high as they could get, serving as a great way for tennis enthusiasts to test their prediction skills.
Sharapova was then able to further solidify her victorious status by winning her second Grand Slam at the US Open in 2006, defeating Justine Henin in the final.
Source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/maria-sharapova-shines-in-return-to-u-s-open-1504019205
Her third Grand Slam title was earned just two years later in the Australian Open against Ana Ivanovic in the final. Despite an ongoing shoulder injury and constant pain, the athlete came out victorious once again. Ultimately, this victory became a symbol of Maria’s determination and perseverance.
Last but certainly not least, a double win in the French Open in 2012 and 2014 officially sealed the deal of Sharapova’s golden status in the tennis community.
How Much Prize Money Did She Win in Her Career?
Considering the highly successful tennis journey of the pro athlete, her total prize money is estimated to be equal to nearly 40 million dollars, making Maria Sharapova one of the highest-earning female athletes in history. The incredibly high sum is, indeed, a fair representation of all the hard work and commitment, as well as pure skill and talent, that were all sacrificed by Maria throughout her career.
Of course, the tennis star has also funded her own net worth sufficiently through her own business deals and entreneurpship ideas, such as her candy line Sugarpova.
How Many WTA Titles Has Sharapova Won?
Overall, the number of WTA titles won by Sharapova equates to 36 WTA singles titles. In addition to that, the tennis icon secured three WTA doubles in her career. As she faced various worldwide champions in the weekly WTA Tour games, Maria stayed true to her personal playing principles and came out on top every time.
While Sharapova’s first big win in the category came in 2003 at the Japan Open, the tennis player continued working hard to become undefeatable in other regions of the world, including Indian Wells, Rome, and Madrid tournaments.
Why Was Sharapova Banned From Tennis in 2016?
Perhaps the lowest and most controversial stage of Sharapova’s career occurred in 2016 following the doping scandal. The tennis player was actively using meldonium as a medication for her irregular heartbeat and diabetes, as well as a few other minor symptoms. Unfortunately for the athlete, the World Anti-Doping Agency had added the medication to the list of banned substances at the beginning of 2016 while Sharapova was still using it.
Source: https://www.inc.com/john-hall/what-companies-can-learn-from-the-maria-sharapova-scandal.html
As a result of the player testing positive for meldonium, she was banned from the sport for 2 years, later reduced to 15 months. Although the scandal brought a lot of negativity to Sharapova’s persona and reputation, the professional athelte did not step away from yet another challenge. With her comeback in 2017, Sharapova stayed true to her personal principles and did not let any of her supporters down.
When Did Sharapova Retire?
The official announcement of Sharapova’s retirement came on February 26, 2020. The pro athlete addressed the situation in an emotional essay published in Vanity Fair and Vogue. In the message, Maria reflected on her whole career, the positive impact tennis had on her whole life, as well as the physical toll and multiple injuries. The sport undeniably shaped Sharapova as a person, helping her focus on hard work and true perseverance, on fighting back against challenges and being fair to herself. At the same time, the persistent shoulder injuries that she had to deal with for the majority of her legendary playing years had their own negative effect on the player.
As the tennis star bid her farewell to the global tennis community, the bittersweet moment was captured with full support and loyalty from her fans and colleagues.
Moving on from the physically demanding job, Maria Sharapova expressed commitment to her business ideas and further enhancement of her Sugarpova brand.
Source: https://people.com/sports/maria-sharapova-new-chapter-after-retirement-tennis-therabody-partnership/
What Is Sharapova’s Net Worth?
The athlete’s total net worth is calculated based on her prize winnings from all the tournaments won and her marketing deals as well. In total the sum reaches up to 180 million dollars. Over the years, Sharapova has proven to be quite the businesswoman, devoting her time to Sugarpova and investing in other promising business ideas.
Mind-blowing Facts About Maria Sharapova
Now that we have covered plenty of intriguing points about the player, let’s quickly overview some even more mind-blowing facts about the Russian athlete.
World’s Richest Female Athlete in 2015
In 2015, Forbes named Maria Sharapova the richest female athlete in the world, a title she proudly held for 11 consecutive years. After all, the award is no surprise, considering the woman’s amazing ability to succeed in both sports and business.
First Russian to Win a Wimbledon Title
Sharapova’s win against Serena WIlliams in 2004 proved to be a milestone not just for the player, but for her home country as well. As Russia’s first tennis player to win a Wimbledon title, Maria inspired thousands of aspiring tennis players in Russia and set the beginning of a new era in the sport.
Tallest Female Tennis Player at Present
Besides her dominating serve and powerful reach, Sharapova’s height of 6 feet and 2 inches gave her a very interesting competitive edge on the court. The combination of the player’s height and outstanding technique is what made her undefeatable throughout her professional career, and one of the most challenging players to play against.
Signed a Deal with Nike at the Age of 11
One of the most prestigious and impressive moments during the player’s career was the contract deal signed with Nike at just 11 years old. The sport-based brand took particular interest in the young girl due to her evident potential and progress at the time. Ultimately, the brand deal developed into a beautiful collaboration of sport and comfort, strength and style.
