Maria Sharapova Confirms Retirement At 32 (Photo Credit: file photo )
New Delhi:
Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova on Wednesday announced retirement from tennis. She became an overnight star when she was crowned Wimbledon Champion at the tender age of 17 in the year 2004. In an essay for Vogue and Vanity Fair, the Russian player wrote, I’m new to this, so please forgive me. Tennis—I’m saying goodbye’’.
“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?’’, she added.
In the year 2006, Sharapova won the US Open, Australian Open in 2008, French Open in 2012 and 2014. In her essay she also explained in detail her initial years when she moved from Russia to USA to pursue her career.
“Tennis showed me the world—and it showed me what I was made of. It’s how I tested myself and how I measured my growth. And so in whatever I might choose for my next chapter, my next mountain, I’ll still be pushing. I’ll still be climbing. I’ll still be growing’’, Maria wrote.
She also has an Olympic silver medal to her name which she clinched in London Olympics in London.
