The talent and beauty of Maria Sharapova have made millions go weak in the knees for her. However, young Sharapova also had one such personality that made her feel the same way. Juan Carlos Ferrero rose to the limelight after sidelining rising players like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. However, 16-year-old Maria Sharapova had a crush on Ferrero and she could not take her eyes off of.

Now happily married and with a son, Sharapova confessed through her book, ‘Unstoppable: My Life So Far’ about her childhood crush on the coach of Carlos Alcaraz Garfia.

Juan Carlos Ferrero ruled the heart of Maria Sharapova 

Maria Sharapova is a tennis heartthrob and her crowd loved her beauty as much as they loved her talent. However, 16-year-old Sharapova had someone who caught her heart. An innocent childhood crush for Ferrero came to the limelight with her book, ‘Unstoppable: My Life So Far’.

While traveling for her run on the clay court, the Russian player resided temporarily at Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy in Villena, Spain. Ferrero himself was present at the academy and Sharapova noticed him.

She stated, “In those few weeks, watching Ferrero train, watching him come and go, seeing how he talked and handled himself, how he brushed his hair away from his eyes, I developed a serious crush.” As it is with the crushes, Sharapova also did not see the age difference, nor did she care about his girlfriend.

Sad reality check for Sharapova

He was 23 at that point and she was 16. She knew that he had a girlfriend and also the fact that she is a minor. She wrote, “In most countries, that’s not even legal. What can I say? The heart wants what the heart wants.”

Seeing him with his girlfriend gave her a reality check. She stated, “When they stood together, all cute, I was reminded that I was the silliest thing in the world-a kid with a crush.”

However, she guessed that Ferrero must have known about her crush but did not lead her on. She stated, “I appreciate how he handled himself, the gentle and serious way he treated me, never making me feel anything less than grown-up and important, while also letting me know in his easy way that it could never happen.” 

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Now, happily married to businessman Alexander Gilkes with a beautiful son Theodore, Sharapova has jotted down the memory of her childhood crush. However, it was not the only thing that she noticed.

How did the 2003 French Open victory change the way Sharapova looked at Ferrero?

Realizing that he also has been playing tennis before he even realized his dream, she found similarities with him. His victory picture of 2003 is stuck in her head.

Winning a Grand Slam title is the dream of every tennis player and when Ferrero got it, he relished it. Sharapova reminisced, “Juan Carlos had fallen to his knees and is looking toward the sky as if to thank whoever up there is in charge of tennis Grand Slams.” However, unknowingly, she also picked up that habit.

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Now, after his retirement, the player has turned into the coach of one of the rising Spanish tennis sensations. In an exclusive interview with Essentially Sports, Ferrero talked about a bright future for Garfia. The 2022 US Open champion, Carlos Alacaraz Garfia has stunned the world with his astounding growth. And the man behind this stalwart young champion is none other than Ferrero.