HIGHS AND LOWS OF MARIA SHARAPOVA WHO HAS RETIRED FROM TENNIS:
Highs
Announcing herself to the world:
Sharapova transformed herself into a household name in 2004 when she won Wimbledon aged 17 – becoming the third youngest female champion ever. With her long blonde hair and trademark grunts, it was clear that she was going to become a star as she beat defending champion Serena Williams in the final.
Conquering America
The Russian was a global icon by the time she won her second grand slam at the US Open in 2006. Sharapova, who had already been world No.1, downed top seed Justine Henin in the decider.
Queen Down Under
Having been thrashed by Williams 12 months earlier in the final, Sharapova finally got her hands on the Australian Open trophy in 2008. The fifth seed saw off Ana Ivanovic in straight sets in the final.
Completing the set
Sharapova had to wait another four years before she could put herself among tennis royalty by completing the set of grand slam victories. When she won the French Open in 2012 she became only the 10th woman to win all four major tournaments. She beat Italian Sara Errani in comfortable fashion to win on clay.
Lows
The ban
In 2016, Sharapova was banned for doping, having tested positive for banned substance meldonium at the Australian Open. There were mitigating circumstances, though, as the drug was only added to the banned list a few weeks earlier that year and the Court of Arbitration for Sport later ruled that she had taken it on doctor’s advice. A two-year ban was reduced to 15 months and backdated to the failed test date, but the Russian, still in her 20s and at the top of the game, had her career put on hold – and she never got back there.
Wilting against Williams
After the Russian won Wimbledon in 2004, the Sharapova-Williams rivalry was supposed to be one that matched Federer-Nadal as one for the ages, but it simply did not pan out that way. Apart from her SW19 victory over the American, the match-up ended with 20 wins for Williams, the last of which was a 6-1 6-1 hammering in last year’s US Open.
SW19 heartache
Having won Wimbledon in 2004, the All England Lawn and Tennis Club became a special place in Sharapova’s heart and she was devastated she was unable to add to her maiden title. Indeed, there may have been no lower moment than her first-round retirement against Pauline Parmentier in 2019 as she left the court in tears. It turned out to be her last match there.
Shouldering the pain
Who knows how many more grand slams she might have won had she not had a serious shoulder injury in 2008 when she was still at her peak. It was the start of a series of problems that dogged her for much of the next five years. Once she returned from her ban she was also plagued by thigh, wrist and more shoulder injuries, which ruined the final years of her glittering career.
