Rain had its final say at the Parque Villa-Lobos as the final of the 2026 São Paulo Open was postponed. While the audience missed the opportunity of watching the title clash between Kaitlin Quevedo and Nadia Podoroska, they were also robbed of the chance of catching a glimpse of former World No.1 Maria Sharapova. The Russian was at the event for the last few days and was scheduled to stay in the final, but the rain interruption meant she had to leave early.
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“Oi Brazil, I’m so sad not to be with you at the trophy ceremony but I wanted to congratulate all the players,” said Sharapova in a video message posted on the tournament’s official X page. “I’ve been, I’ve had the most amazing experience thanks to Bradesco for bringing me back to Sao Paulo. I hope I get to come back soon and see you all in Brazil again. Obrigado.”
Sharapova was a guest of Bradesco, a banking corporation and the main sponsor of the São Paulo Open, and was invited to draw more eyeballs to the competition. Sharapova attended matches, held autograph sessions with fans, and also appeared on panels during her stay in São Paulo.
Apart from meeting fans and fulfilling her sponsorship obligations, Sharapova also made the day for many players. The Russian met Paula Badosa, and the Spaniard was overwhelmed with joy, having long considered Sharapova her idol on the tennis court. Badosa even admitted to feeling nervous during her quarterfinal match as Sharapova watched from the stands. The former World No.1 also met with Brazilian tennis star Beatriz Haddad Maia and volleyball star Gabi Guimares on the last day of the tournament.
This is not the first time that Sharapova has missed a trophy ceremony in Sao Paulo due to rain. Back in 2014, the Russian was a special guest for the men’s singles final of the Brasil Open between Federico Delbonis and Paolo Lorenzi. However, the constant rains back then meant the final was postponed, and the Russian had to leave as she was due to play at Indian Wells.
As for the matches in Brazil this year, both the singles and doubles finals were postponed due to rain. The tournament made official announcements, postponing both finals to Monday. Both finals were scheduled for 11 a.m. the next day, with the doubles final on Court 1 and the singles final on the Maria Esther Bueno Central Court.
The fans will have a tough time choosing between the two matches, but one would assume the doubles match might get a bit more fanfare. Home favorite Luisa Stefani reached the final alongside Gabriela Dabrowski and were 4-3 in the final against the American team o Allura Zamarripa and Anna Rogers before rain hit.
This is not the first time in recent months that a WTA event has been hampered by rain. The Iasi Open final between Paula Badosa and Mayar Sherif was postponed to Monday due to severe rain in the area. A similar situation arose during the final between Alexandra Eala and Jessica Pegula in Washington, where play was suspended after the first set due to rain, and both players returned the next day to finish the match.
As for Sharapova, the former World No.1 made her rounds during the US Open as well, where she made the news for quite a few reasons.
Maria Sharapova Was in News During the US Open as Well
Sharapova was a radiant presence during the US Open, and the 2006 champion returned to Flushing Meadows on the women’s final day. While the Russian was often the center of attention on camera alongside legends like Jennifer Capriati and Gabriela Sabatini, she also had the honor of presenting the winner’s trophy to Elena Rybakina after the Kazakh beat Aryna Sabalenka.
Apart from the on-court obligations, Sharapova was engaged in fun fan activities in New York, just like in Sao Paulo. The five-time Major champion played a game with the fans to see who could serve the fastest, as part of a segment hosted by IBM.
Coming back to Flushing Meadows was special for Sharapova, who came to New York after twenty years since her 2006 title run. The Russian not only won the title that year but also grabbed the attention of the tennis community with her black Nike outfit, becoming the first player to have different kits for day and night sessions.