"This has been the fastest year of my life" - Maria Sharapova on how motherhood has impacted her life

Maria Sharapova began a new chapter in her life this year as she became a mother for the first time when she gave birth to her son, Theodore, on July 1.

In a recent interview with NewBeauty, the former World No. 1 spoke about the impact that motherhood was having on her life. She said that she always looked forward to this beautiful yet challenging part of life and was excited to watch her four-month-old son grow up.

"I felt like I was ready to have a child of my own and pass along my own experiences," Sharapova said. "I’m really excited to watch this little boy grow up, although that is still incredibly hard because I’m still mostly trying to figure things out. It’s beautiful, but it’s also challenging. This has literally been the fastest year of my life. It’s like we blinked, and it’s over. I’m excited about this stage of motherhood. I feel like I’m just getting through the first few months of a little baby’s life."

When asked about the future, Sharapova stated that she was looking forward to next year when she will seek a work-life balance.

"I’m excited to see the next year unfold and see how I find my balance with work. I’m interested to see what choices I’ll make with that work-life balance. It’s never going to be 50-50. I really do love to work. I also love my family. I know a lot of women face this unique challenge of finding that right balance that works for your family. I don’t know the secret, but I’m ready to work on it," she added.

The five-time Grand Slam champion, who turned pro on her 14th birthday, bid adieu to professional tennis in February 2020, her last match coming against Croatia's Donna Vekic in the first round of the Australian Open.

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"I cannot support this" - When Simona Halep spoke against tournament's decision to hand Maria Sharapova wildcard after doping scandal

Simona Halep (L) and Maria Sharapova

A major controversy broke out in the tennis world a few days ago when the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) banned Simona Halep after a prohibited substance, Roxadustat, was found in her drug test. Maria Sharapova was also barred from playing for 15 months when she tested positive for Meldonium in 2016.

After her punishment, the tournament director of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix gave the Russian a wildcard entry, a decision that was opposed by several players at the time, including Halep. The 31-year-old Romanian said that the decision will have a negative impact on kids and young players.

"For the kids, for the young players, it is not okay to help a player with a wild card who was banned for doping," Halep said. "It is not about Maria Sharapova here, but it is about all the players that are found doped. I cannot support what the tournament director did, but also, I cannot judge."