THROUGHOUT the 2000s, Maria Sharapova was a dominant drive in ladies’s tennis.
She landed 5 Grand Slam titles, together with triumphing at Wimbledon in 2004 on the tender age of 17.
Within the 2000s, Maria Sharapova was the golden lady of tennisCredit score: AFP
Sharapova is a businesswoman who created her personal candy enterpriseCredit score: Getty Photos – Getty
Since retiring, modern Sharapova has continued to remain relatedCredit score: Getty – Contributor
Maria Sharapova and Lindsey Vonn at an occasion in Miami, USACredit score: Getty Photos – Getty
From that second all the things modified. Sponsors like Nike, Evian, Porsche and Tag Heuer supplied the Russian, now 36, large business offers.
Whereas glam cowl photoshoots with trend magazines made her the definitive face off the courtroom.
On the age of 32 she hung up her racket, after serving a 15-month drug ban.
Though which will have tainted her enjoying profession, since retirement she has turn out to be a unprecedented mentor for girls enterprise homeowners.
Her candy firm Sugarpova, which she invested round £400,000 11 years in the past, is now value a staggering £150million. Yearly, it clears £16million.
The journey from world’s sexiest tennis star to world enterprise innovator is full.
It started in Sochi
Summer time seaside resort Sochi, discovered on the Black Sea, has turn out to be synonymous with the sporting world.
Most lately, it was residence to the profitable 2014 Winter Olympics.
Nevertheless it was additionally the place a younger Sharapova dreamed of tennis success. She was simply three when she moved there along with her mom, Jelena and father, Yuri.
By the age of 4, the bold child was already interested by enjoying tennis and was gifted a racket by Aleksandr Kafelnikov, whose son Yevgeny would go on to win two Grand Slam singles titles and turn out to be Russia’s first world No1.
She was given classes by her first mentor, Yuri Yutkin till destiny despatched her to the US.
It was at a tennis clinic run by Martina Navratilova in Moscow, the place she would shine and be given the chance to go away the communist nation behind and transfer to Florida to coach with Nick Bollettieri on the IMG Academy, the place the likes of Andre Agassi, Monica Seles and Anna Kournikova honed their abilities.
With simply $700 (£563) financial savings, and with out a phrase of English to fall again on, Yuri and Maria emigrated to the US in 1994 – as a result of visa restrictions, Yelena joined two years later.
Sharapova moved to the US after she was found by Martina NavratilovaCredit score: Instagram
Over the course of her profession Sharapova gained 5 Grand Slams, together with the French Open twiceCredit score: Getty
Success breeds fame
Aged simply 17, Sharapova earned worldwide fame beating defending champion and prime seed Serena Williams within the remaining at Wimbledon.
By 2005, she was world No1 and adopted that up along with her second Grand Slam title – the US Open a yr later.
Maria would add three extra Grand Slams to her CV, the Australia Open in 2008 and French Open in 2012 and 2014.
On the courtroom, she gained notoriety for having the loudest grunt in tennis.
Her ear-splitting shrieking and screaming throughout factors was so loud it was recorded greater than 100 decibels.
She would amass $38,777,962 in profession earnings, the fourth highest of all-time, and 36 profession titles.
Away from the game, her magnificence would rating her an endorsement take care of cosmetics giants Avon.
New York Trend Week grew to become her second residence, as she was seen attending Vera Wang and Ralph Lauren’s occasions. On the Met Gala in New York she sparkled.
Swiss watch model Tag Heuer made her a worldwide ambassador for his or her model.
Whereas she was noticed driving Porsche, one other unique and splendid sponsor.
Sharapova’s firm automotive was a PorscheCredit score: Getty Photos – Getty
Swiss watch model Tag Heuer made Sharapova a worldwide ambassador
On the Meta Gala Sharapova repeatedly seemed the peak of class
All these would push her private web value to nicely over the £300m mark.
Nonetheless, scandal would see her lose over a yr within the recreation.
Medicine ban
On the 2016 Australian Open, Sharapova examined constructive for meldonium, which had been categorized as a banned substance a number of weeks earlier.
Ignorance of the brand new Wada guidelines was no excuse and she or he ended up serving a 15-month medicine ban.
She stated in an announcement on the time: “I acquired a letter from the ITF that I failed a medication take a look at on the Australian Open. I take full accountability for it.
“For the previous 10 years I’ve been given a medication known as mildronate by my household physician and some days in the past after I acquired the ITF letter I discovered that it additionally has one other title of meldonium which I didn’t know.
“It is extremely essential so that you can perceive that for 10 years this drugs was not on Wada’s banned record and I had legally been taking the drugs for the previous 10 years.
“However on January 1st the foundations had modified and meldonium grew to become a prohibited substance which I had not identified.”
“I used to be given this drugs by my physician for a number of well being points that I used to be having in 2006,” Sharapova continued.
“All through my lengthy profession I’ve been very open and trustworthy about many issues and I take nice accountability and professionalism in my job each single day and I made an enormous mistake.
“I let my followers down. I let the game down I’ve been enjoying because the age of 4 and I like so deeply.
On the 2016 Australian Open Sharapova examined constructive for a banned substanceCredit score: AP:Related Press
Sharapova was banned for 15 months from tennisCredit score: EPA
“I do know with this I face penalties and I don’t need to finish my profession this manner and I actually hope I will likely be given one other probability to play this recreation.
“I do know lots of you thought I used to be retiring but when I used to be ever going to announce my retirement it could in all probability not be in a downtown Los Angeles resort with this pretty ugly carpet.”
Retirement and redemption
When she returned to the WTA circuit in April 2017, she was by no means the identical participant and solely reached one Slam quarter-final.
A shoulder damage additionally prevented her from being aggressive in opposition to the world’s finest, pushing her to the margins of the sport as new stars emerged.
She retired aged 32 in 2020, however hasn’t fallen out of the limelight.
Most lately, Sharapova was noticed on the Monaco Grand Prix handing over a trophy to F1 champ Max Verstappen for reaching pole place.
Nonetheless, it’s her firm Sugarpova that’s retaining her occupied.
She was solely 25 when she invested $500,000 into her personal sweet retailer in 2013.
Initially it was met with criticism due to its promotion of sugar snacks, which particularly tried to focus on a younger viewers.
Sharapova ignored the haters. As we speak, it’s value round £150million.
It rakes in £16million yearly – promoting sweets and premium chocolate in over 22 nations.
Sharapova was lately seen on the Monaco Grand Prix alongside Max VerstappenCredit score: Getty
In 2013, Sharapova launched her personal candy enterprise SugarpovaCredit score: Getty Photos – Getty
Sugarpova is claimed to be value £150m as we speakCredit score: Getty Photos – Getty
That allowed Sharapova to group up with the Nationwide Affiliation of Girls Enterprise Homeowners (NAWBO) and mentor feminine entrepreneurs in 2018.
Overlook tennis legend. She is now a number one businesswoman making more cash than ever.