Tennis sensation Maria Sharapova has left her mark on the sport of tennis. She is one of the most successful players to have graced the game. During the course, she won five Majors in her career. Besides her performances on the tennis court, Maria has commanded other areas too. According to Forbes, she has been named the highest-paid female athlete in the world for 11 consecutive years.

Earlier this year, after she lost her opening round match at the Australian Open, Sharapova decided to ‘call it a day.’ On hearing that news, many fans were left in disappointment. Reflecting back on Maria’s career, she has won a Grand Slam on all surfaces, covering all four events. However, her first grand slam win at Wimbledon shall stand out amongst the others. 

Maria Sharapova: Felt Like the Audience Was Playing With Me

At the age of 17, on the grandest of stages, Sharapova was crowned Wimbledon champion. She had to beat the mighty Serena Williams in the final, who was a sure favorite in that tie.

Recently while speaking to the Russian about that whole experience, she said, “Going into Wimbledon, with every match that I won, I felt so confident inside, I felt like the grass courts, the tradition, the audience that was watching me, they were playing with me and wanted me to win.

“I had this youthful fearless energy about me. It was a special two weeks. Those terrific moments in our life are really special. It’s hard to grasp at the moment how memorable they will be or are.”

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On a lighter note, she was thinking about the ‘Wimbledon Champions Ball’ during the match. The Ball is a tradition followed, where the current year’s men’s and women’s champions attend and have a delightful evening. It’s held on Sunday, the night of the final day.

Cherishing her memories, Sharapova said, “Upon match point, it was a complete dream come true and then you win it. You think of the Wimbledon ball and I was a 17-year-old teenager that thought of the importance of the Wimbledon ball more than the final. I was thinking of the dress and I need make-up for the ball.”

Just recently, Maria announced her engagement with a British businessman Alexander Gilkes. It’ll be nice to witness Sharapova at the tournaments in the future.