Maria Sharapova has opened up about the reason behind why she prefers to stay away from tennis these days. She shared this during a recent interview, where she expressed her honest and raw feelings on the matter.
Sharapova announced her retirement on February 26, 2020, at the age of 32 after battling chronic shoulder injuries that made it impossible for her to compete at the level she once did. She shared the news through an emotional essay, bringing an end to a remarkable career that saw her win five Grand Slam titles and reach World No. 1.
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Recently, on her ‘Pretty Tough with Maria Sharapova’ podcast, where the first episode featured a conversation with Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldana, Sharapova spoke candidly about her life after tennis. During the discussion, Saldana asked her whether she still plays the sport. The Russian admitted that she no longer feels the same fire to play and also does not want to step on the court unless she feels at her best.
“I love the sport,” Sharapova said. “I watch it. I would hope I’d have more time but there’s something in your life where you feel like you’ve been so so good at it in your past and whether it’s because you no longer do it or because your body doesn’t have that tension, you can no longer feel what it feels like to be the very best at it. Why be lower than the best when I can do other things in my life that I can grow in. Even though it’s like the best workout and brings back so many memories.”
“The speed is not there. My reflexes are not the same,” she added.
Maria Sharapova reveals what inspired her new podcast
Since her retirement, Maria Sharapova has built a strong reputation through her business ventures and has become a well-known name beyond tennis. Even during her playing days, she stood out in the business world with her premium candy brand, Sugarpova, which gained significant popularity.
Continuing to explore new ideas, Sharapova recently decided to launch her own podcast, titled ‘Pretty Tough with Maria Sharapova.’ The concept behind the podcast was to highlight female ambition and share stories of women navigating and succeeding in industries that are often male-dominated.
“I made a SHOW!!! Introducing @prettytough, my new show about the pursuit of excellence without apology. It challenges how we discuss female ambition and explores the multitudes that make us,” the former World No. 1 wrote via Instagram.
Edited by Pritha Ghosh