The former Russian tennis player, Maria Sharapova was hailed as one of the most talented and promising during her tennis journey. However, the 5-time singles Grand Slam champion’s near to perfect tennis journey was affected by a doping ban. After a 15-month doping suspension, Sharapova finally decided to make a return to the tennis court.
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Additionally, the former Wimbledon champion was very nervous before her comeback match. However, she later revealed that her mother’s unconditional support encouraged her during the dark phase. Sharapova also talked about a conversation with her mother before the start of her comeback match.
Maria Sharapova once talked about her mother
The former Russian tennis player faced severe consequences for consuming a banned drug called, Meldonium. It was banned by the authorities as it was considered a performance-enhancer drug for athletes. As a result, the former Wimbledon champion, faced a 15-month doping ban for consuming Meldonium. However, despite the dark phase of her tennis journey, Maria Sharapova decided to make a comeback on the tennis court.
The 5-time singles Grand Slam champion participated in the Porsche Grand Prix to make her return after 15 months. Sharapova was extremely nervous and she also asked her mother whether she will accompany her during her comeback event. She stated, “My mom gave it a few seconds of thought. And then she looked at me, and she said, ‘You know what? Yeah. Yeah, I would.’”
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Sharapova previously made this revelation on a media platform called, “The Players’ Tribune.” The popular media platform was founded by the former baseball player, Derek Jeter. Meanwhile, Sharapova also stated that her mom usually travels with her during her tours. However, the Russian tennis star added that her mom rarely attends her tennis matches. Sharapova went on to say that her mother has only attended three matches in 10 years during her tennis journey.
Additionally, she stated, “I just think the tournament vibes, the player’s lounges, the watching from the stands, and all of that … it’s not her scene. (Moms get to make their own rules.)”
Sharapova’s performance at her comeback event
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Despite some major setbacks and a doping ban, Sharapova worked hard to make a return to the tennis court. As a result, the former No. 1 tennis player got a wild card entry in Porsche Grand Prix. The Russian tennis star answered her critics by winning the first-round match of her comeback event. She defeated the former Italian tennis player, Roberta Vinci, in the first round of the event in Germany.
Sharapova went on to beat her compatriot, Ekaterina Makarova in the second-round match of the tournament. After some incredible performances, the former Wimbledon champion defeated the Estonian tennis player, Anett Kontaveit. Sharapova reached the semifinal round of the Porsche Grand Prix, and faced the French tennis player, Kristina Mladenovic. However, despite her stellar performances, Sharapova was defeated by Mladenovic during the comeback event on the tennis court.
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