Sharapova chose to retire, with an emotional narrative published in Vogue and Vanity Fair: “How can you leave behind the only life you have ever known? How do you walk away from the practice fields where you used to hit balls when you were a little girl, walk away from the game you love, the one that brings you so many tears, and so much joy? beyond words, a sport where you find family, with the fans who have marched with you for over 28 years? I’m just new to this, so please forgive me. Tennis – goodbye…”.
Sharapova has retired from tennis, after 28 years of association, and 19 years of playing at the highest level. In 2004, after 3 years of participating in the WTA Tour, she was crowned her first Grand Slam champion, defeating Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4 in the Wimbledon final. The victory in “Breaking the buffalo horn at age 17” – one of the most overwhelming victories in the history of the tournament final that took place at the All England Club, was even more glorious when she went on to win the WTA Finals at the end of that season. , also with another impressive victory over Serena, with a score of 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. A new star was born, becoming a symbol of the WTA for many years, but also causing her to “enmity” with her “American seniors”.
For many years, Sharapova tried to fight for her own career and glory for Russia, even though she was rarely acknowledged by Russians. She joined the team, participated in the Russian tennis team at the Olympics, helped Russia win the 2008 Fed Cup, and won silver at the 2012 London Olympics. However, people still say: “Sharapova speaks English with an accent.” American is more fluent than Russian”, and “Actually, after all, she is still an American, raised in the cradle of American tennis”. Later, in the Russian shirt, Sharapova won the US Open 2006, the Australian Open 2008 and the French Open 2014. With 5 Grand Slam titles, Sharapova became the most successful Russian tennis player in the history of professional tennis. Karma.
She should have retired in 2016, when her body showed signs of stagnation over time. Then the storm of “using stimulants” suddenly came, causing Sharapova – after her racket suspension ended – to decide to continue competing to prove to the world that her involvement with meldonium was just because she was “innocent”. Please do not update WADA’s email. No one would be foolish and play with a huge career with such an obvious stimulant. But no matter what, this is still a ripple, even an obsession in Sharapova’s career, a memory she really wants to forget, but cannot forget, because when she returned to compete, Masha only Win one more title, there is not enough glory needed to erase the past!
Recent very bad results have made people believe that Sharapova’s retirement date is near, and that she is “out of time”, just like her “senior” Serena is struggling in despair because “24 Grand Slam titles” bracelet. Sharapova confided that the devastating loss to Serena at the US Open last year, in poor health, made her understand the limits of time and her body.
“One of the signs that predicted I had to retire came at the US Open last year. Behind closed doors, 30 minutes before stepping onto the field, I performed a shoulder numbing procedure to get through the match. Shoulder injuries are nothing new to me. Over time, my shoulder tendons have worn out like a string. I had to have multiple surgeries, one in 2008, another last year, and many months of physical therapy. Simply, just stepping onto the field that day, felt like the ultimate victory. I share this, not to call for pity, but to paint a reality: my body has begun to break down,” Sharapova confided.
Losing to Serena 1-6, 1-6 in the first round of the 2019 US Open, Sharapova understood that her time was over (she lost two more matches in a row at the beginning of this year), with her body condition like this. Even Serena, a living legend of women’s tennis, is struggling in vain to seek the 24th Grand Slam title, so how far can she, a “regular defeater” of Serena, go. Her relationship with her professional tennis career has ended, so let’s move forward, make things easier, and look forward to the future.
“I dedicate my life to tennis, tennis gives me life. I miss it every day… Now, when I look back, I realize that tennis has become a high mountain in my heart. My route, was filled with valleys and curves, but the view at the top was unbelievable. After 28 years, and five Grand Slam titles, I’m ready to climb another mountain, to compete on a different terrain without tennis. Tennis showed me the world, it showed me, what I’m made of. It tests my self, measures my growth. And so, whatever I choose for the next chapter, for the next mountain, I will continue to push myself. I will continue to climb mountains, continue to grow day by day,” Sharapova concluded her emotional farewell narrative.
