Maria Sharapova announced her retirement as a tennis player through an open letter with Vanity Fair. The retirement comes after she won five Grand Slams and dealt with failing a drug test three years ago, leading up to a 15-month hiatus.
According to the Daily Mail, Maria Sharapova penned an open letter with Vanity Fair to announce her retirement at 32. Throughout her tennis career, Sharapova has won five Grand Slam titles and failed a routine drug test during the 2016 Australian Open. She rose to fame at the age of 17 when she won the 2004 Wimbledon final against Serena Williams and started training for the sport as a young child when her family moved from Russia to the United States.
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“How do you leave behind the only life you’ve ever known? How do you walk away from the courts you’ve trained on since you were a little girl, the game that you love — one which brought you untold tears and unspeakable joys—a sport where you found a family, along with fans who rallied behind you for more than 28 years? I’m new to this, so please forgive me. Tennis—I’m saying goodbye.”
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In 2019, Sharapova knew her career was coming to an end when she tied with Serena Williams at the US Open in a 6-1, 6-1 and only played twice in 2020 against Donna Vekic. She also dealt with shoulder injuries and failing to meet the top players during tournaments.