Maria Sharapova: "My family never thought that their little daughter would make it to the Centre Court at the French Open"

Maria Sharapova recently took a moment to ponder over her remarkable journey to the pinnacle of women's tennis.

The former World No. 1, renowned as one of the most accomplished players of her era, boasts an impressive collection of 36 titles, including five Major titles. She stands proudly among a select few legends who have achieved the illustrious career Grand Slam, conquering all four Majors throughout her stellar career.

Sharapova reflected on her career during a captivating promotional event held on the Sports Beach stage in Cannes. She delved into the early chapters of her professional tenure, recounting the challenges she faced on her path to unlocking her fullest potential.

"I dont think anyones journey begins at the victory lap when you hold the trophy. I think it begins from your childhood, the way you're brought up," Maria Sharapova said.

"There's so many lessions on the court. For me personally, I started playing tennis when I was four-years-old. My dad enjoyed it and it was fun for him. I was born in Siberia. My family never though that their daughter would make it to the Centre Court at the French Open."

The Russian's tennis journey began at a young age. Inspired by the success of Yevgeny Kafelnikov, the first Russian player to hold the world No. 1 ranking, Sharapova's father fostered his daughter's passion for tennis.

Under the guidance of experienced coach Yuri Yutkin, a young Sharapova honed her skills and developed more interest towards tennis. Her commitment to regular practice sessions with her father at a local park laid the foundation for her future success in the sport.

Sharapova added that the people around her helped shape her character and played a huge role in her success. She also highlighted a few personal challenges she faced as a budding professional.

"So ya, humble beginnings, I came to the United States as a five-year-old and went to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, I got scholarship and people think thats success. But then it takes years and years of practice and grinding and a lot of losing which sets you up for success and victories," Maria Sharapova said.

"When I got to compete, I didn't see my mother for two years, she couldn't get a visa to the United States so that was difficult. So all those stories shaped my character, my journey and you know its nice to be able to look back.

"Its rare to have a 11-month-old baby, I do a lot of work in business, its nice to be able to look back at your journey, look back to all the people who were a part of it to help you become successful."

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“At the moment I don't see my heir on the horizon” - Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova at the 2020 Australian Open.

Maria Sharapova believes that there is currently no player on the WTA tour who can be considered her successor.

The Russian enjoyed and impressive career that included five Grand Slam titles (Wimbledon 2004, US Open 2006, Australian Open 2008, and French Open 2012 and 2014). Sharapova has solidified her status as one of the sport's greatest names.

She even became the fourth-youngest Major winner in the Open era when she triumphed at Wimbledon at the age of 17.

Since her retirement in 2020, various players have been compared to Sharapova, but she does not see any current player on the tour who deserves to be called her heir. However, she acknowledged that many players possess exceptional skills and talents in their own right.

“At the moment I don't see my heir on the horizon. There are excellent players with different styles. The formula for success is not easy to achieve, you need a perfect balance between the game, commitments with sponsors and free time,” Maria Sharapova told Gazzetta dello Sport (via ubitennis).

Sharapova was notably the fifth-youngest woman to reach the WTA World No. 1 ranking. She had an impressive streak of winning at least one title each year for 13 consecutive years from 2003 to 2015.