The rivalry between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova has been one of the most popular rivalries in women’s tennis. However, Serena was the dominant force in their rivalry and many believed Serena’s supreme physical prowess gave her a better chance of winning against the Russian player.

However, former NBA star, Kareem Abdul Jabbar did not feel that way, as he praised Serena for putting in the hard work to become successful. On the other hand, he slammed Sharapova’s work ethic for not putting in the hard work.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar talked about the difference between Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams

Back in 2015, the legendary LA Lakers player, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, questioned Sharapova‘s training regime, as she did not want to do weight training. She said, “I always want to be skinnier with less cellulite; I think that’s every girl’s wish.“

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“I can’t handle lifting more than five pounds. It’s just annoying, and it’s just too much hard work. And for my sport, I just feel like it’s unnecessary,” she further said. 

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Speaking about Sharapova not wanting to lift weights, Abdul Jabbar said, “Yet she’s been beaten 17 times in a row by someone who has added that muscle necessary to excel. Does she want to be the highest-paid female athlete or the best one?“

Apart from that, the former NBA player also talked about Sharapova’s perception of having thin physique like a model. Moreover, he talked about Serena‘s work ethic, as she put more muscles, trying to become the best in her sport. Whereas, Sharapova did the exact opposite and lost 17 matches in a row against Serena, and Abdul Jabbar took a dig at the Russian player for her poor record.

Sharapova once earned more than $10 million in endorsements than Serena

In 2013, Sharapova earned $23 million from endorsements alone; whereas Serena earned only $12 million. This became a huge debate on social media, as Serena was earning way less despite winning everything on the court.

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However, it did not bother Serena back then, as she praised the Russian for working hard to earn that much money. Moreover, she felt grateful for earning money and wanted the inspire the next generation to earn as well. Currently, Serena is way ahead of Sharapova in terms of net worth, as the American has an estimated net worth of $250 million. Whereas, Sharapova’s net worth is around $180 million.

In terms of their rivalry on the court, Serena has a 20-2 head-to-head record against the Russian. Although it was mostly one-sided, their rivalry garnered plenty of attention, mainly because of their off-court rivalry.