Tennis as a sport has long seen players step away from the court to chase new ambitions, from Vitoria Okuyama leaving the sport as the world’s No. 118 under-18 before shifting from Citi’s investment banking to entrepreneurship, to former British standout John Feaver selling T-shirts and racquets in the 1970s and 80s just to stay afloat. Now, a familiar chapter resurfaces as 29-year-old Sammi Ekmark departs her decade-long tennis journey to build a thriving business of her own, adding yet another compelling story to the sport’s lineage of reinvention beyond the baseline.

Ekmark first stepped onto a professional tennis court at age 10, and by college, she had become a force in the sport, competing on a Division I team and earning a spot among the top 50 singles players in the US. “I really focused on tennis. I was 92-0 in high school, so I never lost a match,” said Ekmark. “I played every single day for two and a half hours after school,” she added, noting that this came on top of weekend tournaments and matches. 

As her high school career closed, that level of dedication drew significant attention from university recruiters. With offers pouring in from colleges nationwide, she ultimately chose Arizona State University, which awarded her a full-ride scholarship to compete for its Division I program as well. 

The path ahead seemed set until a sudden twist changed everything. During a late-night tournament in college, she planted her foot incorrectly and tore her ACL, one of the knee’s most crucial ligaments and, in sports, one of its most dreaded injuries.

“A lot of the times people do consider ACL [tears] a massive career ender,” she said. “When I got my injury … It made me take a year off, and it was very tough. Tennis was still my life, but it was hard to get back into it as good as before.” Though she fought her way through recovery and eventually returned to the court, something else began to pull her in a new direction. An entrepreneurship class at ASU sparked an unexpected passion for business, and gradually her ambitions shifted.

In 2023, Ekmark made the pivotal choice to transition fully away from the sport that had defined her life. Together with her husband Andrew, she launched ‘Ink’d Greetings’, a venture that quickly gained traction and now generates over $25,000 in monthly revenue, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. 

And Ekmark is far from the only former player carving out success beyond the baseline. Many who once stepped away from professional tennis are now earning fortunes in industries far removed from the sport, proving that the competitive spirit can thrive long after the final match is played.

Which former tennis players are now thriving as entrepreneurs?

Maria Sharapova, once the radiant star of the Green court, has transformed her legacy into one defined by strategic brilliance and entrepreneurial mastery. The Russian captivated audiences again when she appeared at Bloomberg’s Power Players Conference in New York in September 2025. Forbes named her the highest-paid female tennis player for 11 straight years, with over $300 million earned through endorsements from Nike, Porsche, Tag Heuer, Tiffany & Co, Evian, and Land Rover. 

Her 2004 London Major triumph at just 17 made her the world’s most marketable athlete, and even her 2016 doping suspension didn’t slow her ascent.

Her business empire now stretches far beyond sponsorship deals. The former number one owns an $8.6 million ranch in Summerland, an $11 million estate in Montecito, and a Manhattan Beach home once sold to Luka Dončić. She also serves as an independent director at Moncler Group, shaping the future of luxury names like Stone Island. 

The iconic Serena Williams stands beside her as another powerhouse in the business world. In 2024, the 42-year-old champion launched Wyn Beauty, a brand of 10 products crafted for active lifestyles. “I’ve always been into beauty,” Williams shared with People. “But when you’re a tennis player, there’s only so much that you can do because you’re out there on the court for hours. You move and sweat a lot, and you wipe everything away.”

With entrepreneurship rising rapidly among former tennis stars, these stories reflect a new era, one where passion, innovation, and ambition thrive long after a player leaves the court.