Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova is a retired Russian tennis player who won five Grand Slam singles titles and spent time as world No.

Maria Sharapova is a retired Russian tennis player who won five Grand Slam singles titles and spent time as world No. 1. She became one of tennis’s leading players in the 2000s and 2010s, and retired from professional tennis in 2020.

Early life and junior career

Maria Sharapova was born in Nyagan, Russia, and later developed into an elite junior player before turning professional in 2001.

Professional career

Sharapova became a major star after winning Wimbledon in 2004 and later completed a career Grand Slam with titles at all four major tournaments. She first rose to prominence by defeating Serena Williams to win Wimbledon in 2004 at age 17. She won five Grand Slam singles titles: Wimbledon (2004), the US Open (2006), the Australian Open (2008), and the French Open in 2012 and 2014.

Ranking and achievements

She reached world No. 1, won 36 WTA singles titles, and is listed by the WTA as a five-time Grand Slam champion. She reached world No. 1 and spent a total of 18 weeks at the top of the WTA rankings according to the WTA profile.

Doping suspension and retirement

Sharapova received a suspension in 2016 after a meldonium positive test, returned in 2017, and retired in 2020. In 2016, she was suspended after testing positive for meldonium; her ban was later reduced on appeal. She announced her retirement in 2020 after a 19-year professional career.