Maria Sharapova, a veteran on the tennis circuit with five Grand Slam titles against her name, had a difficult initiation to the sport. It’s common knowledge how she moved to the US with her father at the age of seven, while her mother stayed back in Russia.
Opening up about the challenge of adjusting to life in a new country without her mother, she revealed, “I used to be so lonely. I missed my mother terribly. My father was working as much as he could so he couldn’t see me either.”
Her mother eventually joined her two years later. By then, Sharapova had already become capable of caring for herself.
“I learned how to take care of myself. I never thought about quitting because I knew what I wanted. When you come from nothing and you have nothing, it makes you very hungry and determined,” she said.
Maria Sharapova embodies the WTA motto Strong is Beautiful
Maria Sharapova perfectly embodies the WTA motto Strong is Beautiful. She is probably the only great athlete of the WTA Tour who managed to grow her professional career in parallel with her life off the court, competitive over the years, winning titles and, at the same time, ending up on the covers of the most important magazines about fashion and beauty.
Nobody can win five Slams and, at the same time, be an icon of style, fashion, glamor and beauty. Sharapova managed to do what her countrywoman Anna Kournikova before her failed to do: combine beauty and victory. Because in addition to the athletic and technical strength Masha had something more than her (unloved) colleagues.
She had a fire inside that burned in every matches, even though she outwardly seemed glacial. The desire to win, to be the best, was burning inside. And for a few moments of her career she did it. Her determination, her charisma and her willpower led her to reach incredible peaks for a tennis player.
She is the last WTA star to complete the Grand Slam career. At the same time, in addition to the on-the-court victories, she was very skilled in managing her image, becoming a true icon for her fans and for millions of girls who grew up in her myth.
To her career on a tennis court Sharapova continued, in parallel since 2012, her new career as a business woman, with her candy brand Sugarpova. Of course, she also remembers for the great rivalry with Serena Williams, which continued even off the court.
Her boyfriends, including colleague Grigor Dimitrov. Today Sharapova is a gold mine, a source of money accumulated thanks to a wise management of her image off the court and thanks to sporting success. This means becoming an icon. Strong is Beautiful.
