“Maria Sharapova Was Never Very Open”- Svetlana Kuznetsova

Published 02/29/2020, 5:29 AM EST

The player with an impressive grit Maria Sharapova hung her tennis racquets on Wednesday and bid goodbye to the sport. All of us know about Sharapova’s ‘aggressive-composure’ the professional courts. And at times with tennis treating her hard on the professional surfaces, she has never really lost her cool, and broke or destroyed a racquet.

However, she recently revealed that she has broken some racquets during practice sessions. In addition to that, her compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova disclosed about Sharapova’s unseen side. She stated that Maria was always a bit reserved on the WTA Tour.

“Thinking about Maria, she was never very open and somebody took it as being arrogant or high-level like kind of lift your nose up. I never thought so of her because I think it’s just her way to defend herself. Having her space because everybody wanted something of her,” she said.

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“I think she’s a great champion and she did it her way. She played her way, she wins whatever she won and she’s great athlete, a great champion.”

Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova on the junior circuit

Kuznetsova also shared one of their memories from the junior circuit. “I remember one moment, I don’t know, it’s always been in my memory, I was playing — I’m not sure if I play in juniors already or WTA event in Miami — and her dad and she was walking and I say, Okay, let me drive you and I drove them somewhere,” she added.

“And she was little kid and I think I was already playing pro, and she now is like stopped playing and I’m still playing. I feel very old right now.”

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Kuznetsova and Sharapova have played each other 13 times in their careers and Maria has won eight of their battles. In 2011, Kuznetsova’s quarterfinal run at the Italian Open aided her to replace Sharapova from the WTA’s apex amongst the Russian players.

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“But I wish her the best and I think she’s very kind in heart and nice person. I wish her to be as successful in her life after a career as she was in tennis. And if she needs it, if she wants to be happy, it’s her right and I think happiness is the most important thing,” former World Number two Kuznetsova concluded.

This week in Doha, Qatar, Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated fourth seed Belinda Bencic in the quarterfinals. Later she surrendered to Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals.

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Mahalakshmi Murali joined EssentiallySports in 2018 as a tennis author and has gone on to pen more than 1800 engaging articles, probing into various aspects of the sport and its illustrious players. With her expertise on the sport, Mahalakshmi has interviewed stalwarts from the sport such as Serena WIlliams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou and Kevin Anderson’s physio, Carlos Costa. Equipped with her vast experience and a keen understanding of the sport, Mahalakshmi now co-heads the tennis department.

“Maria Sharapova Was Never Very Open”- Svetlana Kuznetsova

Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova on the junior circuit

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