‘Caught Her Flush on the Nose’ – Off-Court Foes for 15 Years, Maria Sharapova Detailed the Unfortunate Incident That Ignited Her Rivalry With Serena Williams in 2004

Sharapova eventually became the world No. 1, but their rivalry was not always friendly. Sharapova felt intimidated and bullied by Williams when they first played, as she revealed in her memoir.

What ignited Maria Sharapova’s and Serena Williams’ rivalry?

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Give yourself a rejuvenative sleep

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Sharapova, in her autobiography ‘Unstoppable: My Life So Far’, talked about her entire tennis journey and also highlighted her rivalry with Williams.

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What happened in 2004 between the two?

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In 2004, Maria Sharapova won her first Wimbledon title by defeating 41-year-old Serena Williams in the final. During the match, Sharapova accidentally hit Williams' nose in the third set. This was a memorable moment for Sharapova, who still remembers it after 15 years.

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What did Sharapova write in her Autobiography?

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“She hit a hard shot, but I hit it back even harder. It caught her flush on the nose. I won the point, and she seemed at first irritated, then angry. There was a flash in her eyes. It’s humiliating to take a shot in the face on Centre Court at Wimbledon, with the TV stations showing it. Then showing it again in slow-mo, then again in super slo-mo, then from a reverse angle.”

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The nose hit wasn’t the only thing that happened on that day to spark their future rivalry.

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Serena Williams was so enraged that the Russian tennis star won her maiden Wimbledon that she uttered some foul words about her arch-rival that proved to be a precedent for their almost two-decade rivalry.

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Give yourself a rejuvenative sleep

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‘Caught Her Flush on the Nose’ – Off-Court Foes for 15 Years, Maria Sharapova Detailed the Unfortunate Incident That Ignited Her Rivalry With Serena Williams in 2004

26th April, 2023

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Sharapova eventually became the world No. 1, but their rivalry was not always friendly. Sharapova felt intimidated and bullied by Williams when they first played, as she revealed in her memoir.

Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams had a fierce rivalry in women's tennis. It began when they played against each other at the Miami Masters in 2004, and Sharapova won.

What ignited Maria Sharapova’s and Serena Williams’ rivalry?

Give yourself a rejuvenative sleep

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Serena Williams

Sharapova, in her autobiography ‘Unstoppable: My Life So Far’, talked about her entire tennis journey and also highlighted her rivalry with Williams.

What happened in 2004 between the two?

In 2004, Maria Sharapova won her first Wimbledon title by defeating 41-year-old Serena Williams in the final. During the match, Sharapova accidentally hit Williams' nose in the third set. This was a memorable moment for Sharapova, who still remembers it after 15 years.

What did Sharapova write in her Autobiography?

She wrote in her autobiography,

The nose hit wasn’t the only thing that happened on that day to spark their future rivalry.

Serena Williams was so enraged that the Russian tennis star won her maiden Wimbledon that she uttered some foul words about her arch-rival that proved to be a precedent for their almost two-decade rivalry.

Give yourself a rejuvenative sleep

Download now

Download now

I know sleep is extremely important to help the body heal.

Serena Williams

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