Maria Sharapova knows what it takes to be successful at a young age. Though she seems to have played for decades and has been done playing professional tennis for many years, Sharapova is still only 36 years old. That she has been a prominent person on the tennis scene for so long but is still so young goes to show how much she won as a teenager, including winning Wimbledon when she was 17.
I point all of that out because when Sharapova talks about what she sees from teenagers currently on the WTA then she knows what she speaks. In a recent interview with Forbes Magazine, the former WTA No. 1 discussed how the future of women’s tennis is in good hands, specifically referring to Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva. Gauff has already won a Grand Slam, of course, winning the 2023 US Open when she was 19 and Andreeva appears capable of winning many majors one day soon.
Sharapova told Forbes, “I’ve loved watching a new generation rise up to the occasion. I was so impressed with how Coco handled the victory in New York last year. Also, it’s great seeing the rise of new names and opportunities for athletes like Mirra Andreeva. We’re seeing so much more consistency in the women’s game and that has been really refreshing.”
Maria Sharapova talks Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva
Certainly seeing new faces has been refreshing for tennis fans, both for men’s and women’s tennis. The men’s side has seen the rise of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner over the last couple of years. The women’s game is a little different, though.
While Gauff and Andreeva are still teenagers, top ranked Iga Swiatek is only 22. Gauff and Andreeva might battle for Grand Slam titles for years to come, but Swiatek will also be in their way for the foreseeable future. That only makes tennis stronger and better, however.
In fact, most of the top ten WTA players are going to challenge for titles for a long time to come. No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka is only 25. No. 5 Elena Rybakina is just 24. In other words, get used to watching a ton of high-level tennis from women’s tennis for the next decade, at least.
