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Maria Sharapova has shared images from the All-England Club on the first day of Wimbledon. The 2004 champion posted a selfie of her wearing denim, another of her in the company of soccer superstar David Beckham, and a third of one of Wimbledon's jumbo screens. Sharapova, Beckham, and other celebrities were on hand as Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff began their London campaigns.
Sharapova won five Grand Slam tournaments across her 19-year tennis career. Her Wimbledon triumph in 2004 was her first and heralded the then 17-year-old's arrival at the top of the game. Sharapova brought glamour and excitement to the women's game, and for the 11 years after her London win, she was the highest-paid female athlete in the world.
Sharapova's first post on her Instagram stories was of her posing in front of a mirror, wearing a denim skirt. Always respectful of the All-England Club's strict dress code, she confirmed that she had checked before arriving that denim was permitted:
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"I did google whether denim was allowed on the grounds. It is."
The 38-year-old's next image featured a fellow sporting icon. Manchester United and Real Madrid soccer star David Beckham, a regular visitor to Wimbledon during the Championships, is pictured alongside Sharapova. Also in attendance were ex-England coach Gareth \Southgate and actors Eddie Redmayne and Jason Isaacs.
Finally, Maria Sharapova shared an image of one of the giant screens at Wimbledon, captioning the image "Day 1. 8 am." Emblazoned across the screen are the words:
"There is only one Wimbledon"
Since retiring from tennis, Sharapova has been in huge demand as an entrepreneur, businesswoman, and model. She has resolutely avoided returning to tennis as a coach or commentator.
Maria Sharapova peaked at Wimbledon as a 17-year-old
Maria Sharapova burst onto the scene at Wimbledon in 2004, defeating defending champion Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4 in the final. She was seen then as a player who could break up the dominance of the Williams sisters. Her victory made her the third-youngest winner in London and only the second Russian to win a Grand Slam.
In her 2017 autobiography 'Unstoppable: My Life so Far', Sharapova wrote bout the 2004 final and how it affected her later relationship with Serena:
"I think Serena hated me for being the skinny kid who beat her, against all the odds, at Wimbledon. I think she hated me for taking something that she believes belongs to her. I think she hated me for seeing her at her lowest moment. But mostly I think she hated me for hearing her cry. She’s never forgiven me for it."
Sharapova went on to win the career Slam and retired as one of the game's recognisable faces. Now rubbing shoulders with the great and good at her old stomping ground, she is enjoying a comfortable and successful retirement.
