A CHAMPION both on and off the tennis court, there is no doubt Maria Sharapova left her mark on the WTA tennis world throughout her illustrious elite career, which spanned almost 20 years. While she encountered her fair share of setbacks, including ongoing injuries and a doping suspension, the Russian 33-year-old was a consistent force to be reckoned with on Tour. Such was her impressive ability to withstand pressure and expectations, Sharapova maintained a top 100 ranking from 2003 through to late-2019, very rarely dipping lower than top 10 throughout that time and spending four individual seasons as world number one.

While the doping saga in 2016 put a spanner in the works and threw Sharapova into the spotlight for the worst reason, it gave the Russian a chance to prove she was capable of turning a new leaf and getting straight back into the ring. Her perseverance through recurring injuries and the doping suspension was huge, and although she ultimately never made it back to the form she consistently showcased throughout the 2000s, Sharapova remained a household name for her dedication and powerful determination. 

Sharapova unfortunately gradually sunk lower and lower on the rankings, peaking in 2019 at 27th in the world, before finishing that same season at 136th and, by the time retirement came around in February 2020, was outside the top 300 for the first time since her debut in 2002.

Sharapova announced her impending retirement in late February, 2020, penning an open letter to fans via Vanity Fair and explaining how mental fortitude and perseverance allowed her to keep on keeping on, even when her body no longer agreed, and how she “accepted those final signals when they came”. 

“One of them came last August at the US Open,” Sharapova said. “Behind closed doors, thirty minutes before taking the court, I had a procedure to numb my shoulder to get through the match … Just stepping onto the court that day felt like a final victory, when of course it should have been merely the first step toward victory … My body had become a distraction.

“Throughout my career, ‘Is it worth it?’ was never even a question—in the end, it always was. My mental fortitude has always been my strongest weapon. “Even if my opponent was physically stronger, more confident—even just plain better—I could, and did, persevere.”

With an exceptional 79 per cent win rate throughout her stellar career and 36 titles to her name, including five Grand Slam wins from 10 finals, Sharapova’s ability to endure and adapt allowed her to continuously develop her game and adjust to not just the younger, quicker players, but also the unfamiliar surfaces, showcased by her gradual improvement on clay courts and ensuing Roland Garros titles.

“The clay at the French Open exposed virtually all my weaknesses—for starters, my inability to slide on it—and forced me to overcome them,” she said. “Twice. “That felt good.”

–

Maria Sharapova – Career Summary:

Wins: 645
Losses: 171 816
Win-loss percentage: 79%

Grand Slams: 

Titles: 5 (Wimbledon, 2004 / US Open, 2006 / Australian Open, 2008 / Roland Garros, 2012/2014)
Runner-up: 5 (Australian Open, 2007/2012/2015 / Wimbledon, 2011 / Roland Garros, 2013)
Wins: 197
Losses: 53
Win-loss percentage: 78.8%

Career Titles: 36

3 –  Rome (2011, 2012, 2015), Stuttgart (2012, 2013, 2014)
2 – Birmingham (2004, 2005), Doha (2005, 2008), Indian Wells (2006, 2013), Japan Open (2003, 2004), Roland Garros (2012, 2014), San Diego (2006, 2007), Tokyo (2005, 2009)
1 – Amelia Island (2008), Australian Open (2008), Beijing (2014), Brisbane (2015), Cincinnati (2011), Linz (2006), Madrid (2014), Memphis (2010), Quebec City (2003), Seoul (2004), Strasbourg (2010), Tianjin (2017), US Open (2006), Wimbledon (2004), Zurich (2006)