Maria Sharapova announced her retirement as an athlete through a letter with Vanity Fair. The retirement comes after she won five Grand Slams and addressed failing a drug test three years ago, leading up to a 15-month hiatus.
According to the Daily Mail, Maria Sharapova penned a letter with Vanity Fair to announce her retirement at 32. Throughout her tennis career, Sharapova has won five 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 began training for the game as a young child when her family moved from Russia to the US.
The 32-year-old Russian said: ‘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.
In 2019, Sharapova knew her career was coming to an end when she lost to Serena Williams at the US Open during a 6-1, 6-1 and only played twice in 2020 against Donna Vekic. She also addressed shoulder injuries and failing to satisfy the highest players during tournaments.
