Maria Sharapova’s autobiography “Unstoppable: My life so far” written by journalist Rich Cohen was published in 2017. In the book, Sharapova speaks honestly about everything surrounding the busy life of a tennis player. professional.

Continuously the highest-paid female athlete in the world for many years, Sharapova ended her career on February 26, 2000 after winning 5 Grand Slam championship titles. Below is an excerpt from this book.

The relationship showed signs of being bad from the beginning

Who can you turn to when you feel lonely? For most people, it’s their office mates. But I don’t have such “office” friends. Not because I don’t like my fellow tennis players, but because in our world, it’s very difficult to make friends with another tennis player.

Maria Sharapova is always considered the sexiest athlete in the world.

They are opponents on the field, and to be friends with them is to lose your advantage. If I like them, I’ll have a harder time beating them. I don’t believe I’m the only player who feels this way, but I’m one of the few who admit it.

When I see two tennis players who are close friends, I know their friendship will always have its limits. I’d rather live a real life than pretend to live my life for the press. In difficult times, I turn to my family and the few true friends I have made over the years, not my colleagues.

Of course, having a boyfriend also makes us comfortable. When I looked back at my old diary, I saw that I wrote down a lot of my thoughts about love and my ideal future boyfriend. First, he must understand and respect my work. He must have his own purpose in life, be realistic, have a sense of humor because I like to laugh. He should be affectionate, caring, and sweet. He must be open, because I hate people with secrets. And most importantly, he must love me for who I am on the inside rather than on the outside. But I still like bad boys. Although I know, that brings a lot of trouble. I love challenges.

I didn’t date seriously until I was almost 22 years old. It was late 2009. A friend of mine was preparing a casual barbecue at her house on a Saturday, and she called me a few hours in advance to say that if I needed to entertain, she could Invite someone with potential? I said “sure”, without really understanding her intentions.

He entered the house with his hair still wet from the shower, in a sports suit, bandages wrapped around his knees. I liked him immediately. Saturday night, and you just finished practicing? That’s the type of person I am. His name is Sasha Vujacic, a Slovenian basketball player in his 5th year with the LA Lakers. That night, we ate grilled fish and talked, then exchanged phone numbers.

The relationship between Masha and Sasha showed signs of trouble from the beginning.

The next morning, I boarded a flight to Napa Valley with my mother and a few close friends. This is my post-season vacation. I told my mother about Sasha. “He is tall and European.” “Masha, no,” she said. Basketball players rarely get a good education.”

Well, I didn’t have a proper education either. He grew up in Europe and traveled around the world, no doubt learning many things along the way. My mother shook her head. She didn’t want to listen anymore. I don’t think that’s fair. I wouldn’t disqualify someone because their athletic career prevents them from going to school. I decided to give him a chance.

He has a house in Los Angeles. There were signs of trouble from the early days. When we’re in LA, he always insists that we stay at his house, even though my house is much bigger and nicer than his, and right down the street.

He always acts like he has to be the center of every action in our lives. He doesn’t like it when others say, “I have my own career, a big status and a higher income.”

Break up over the phone right after winning the French Open championship

We avoid talking about it. About a year into our relationship, we got engaged. It wasn’t like a traditional marriage plan – I was definitely not ready for marriage – but a commitment.

I think this is something of an Eastern European tradition, engagement as a pledge of your love. A way to tell the world that for me, there is only him and for him, there is only me.

In 2011, Sasha considered several financially attractive offers from abroad, offers that I never thought he would accept. Until one day, he accepted. He signed with a Turkish team. In Yesilkoy, a town I knew nothing about. We spent months apart, which gave me time to really think about how we were struggling in our relationship.

He desperately needed to be the man in the relationship, and my career was giving him a hard time. The fact that I was more successful in my world than in his was something he could never admit.

My success, fame, and wealth were clearly becoming a struggle for him. It makes me feel suffocated and trapped.

Right after the happy smile when lifting the 2012 French Open championship trophy, Masha’s heart broke when her love affair with Sasha came to an end.

In the months leading up to the 2012 French Open, I began to feel distant from Sasha. When I walked into the locker room after winning the French Open final, trophy in my lap, I dialed his number. He answered the phone, but I could hear the players on the basketball court practicing. That means he didn’t watch me play a very important match.

Sasha congratulated me. I was very happy, touched, then I started thanking him. For being there for me through many challenging moments. For encouraging me when I was down. For pushing me, believing in me. He seemed really emotional. It was more than I had gotten from him in months.

But when I called that night, his mood changed. His voice was more serious, almost angry. I asked him what was wrong. He said he watched my match when he got home, followed by the trophy ceremony. Now I know exactly what’s on my mind. He was angry because I didn’t thank him in my victory speech.

For months, I waited for some sign from him, some hint. Now I have. In just one sentence. Our relationship has ended.