“It Took Me Over 25 Years…”: Maria Sharapova Speaks on the Similarities of Her Tennis and Business Career

Published 08/26/2021, 2:04 AM EDT

Maria Sharapova retired from tennis in 2020 and has since begun to shine in the business world. She started her own candy company, Sugarpova. Moreover, she has been helping young and upcoming brands in the world of fitness. However, she talks about the struggles and years of hard work she went through to reach the level of tennis she played at.

In a recent interview with Jason Feifer from the Entrepreneur, India, Sharapova has revealed how she reached the top. A young Russian girl who burst onto the scene in 2001, Sharapova did not take much time to announce herself. She retired in similar fashion too, dropping out of the game earlier than anyone imagined.

I was just trying to find my way: Maria Sharapova on her early playing days

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In 2004, a 17-year old Maria Sharapova won the Wimbledon Championships and made history. She became the third youngest woman player to win the title at the All England Club. However, she credits her success in tennis to a lot of back court practice, where she failed everyday. She has worked extremely hard for all the achievements in her life.

“It took me over 25 years to get to that level in one sport. A majority of those years were practicing on the back courts where no one was watching, where I had failed so many times, and I was just trying to find my way with different people, with different coaches, with different methods. It’s the only way to get to success,” said Sharapova in an interview with the Entrepreneur.

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Sharapova as a businesswoman

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Last year’s lockdown during the Coronavirus pandemic helped Sharapova bring out the inner entrepreneur in her. She started helping different brands and startups to form their own business in the world of health and fitness.

“Yeah. As I stepped away from the game, so many friends would tell me, “You’re going to be even more successful in business than you were in your sport.” And I’d say, “How do you know?”,” said Sharapova.

“Am I being realistic? Do I want to be involved? But I’m intrigued. I like that feeling of uncertainty,” she expressed.

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It was a sad end to see Sharapova retire so early on in her career. However, fans wish nothing but success for her in her new ventures.

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Suchit Halder is a Tennis writer at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Management Studies from St Xavier's College, Mumbai. With a keen interest in writing and sports, Suchit has previously worked as a content writer at Football Counter and worked with the content team for Delhi Capitals during IPL 2021.

“It Took Me Over 25 Years…”: Maria Sharapova Speaks on the Similarities of Her Tennis and Business Career

I was just trying to find my way: Maria Sharapova on her early playing days

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Sharapova as a businesswoman