‘Are Those Her Exact Words?’- Years After Their Public Spat, Serena Williams’ Unexpected Gesture Bewildered Rival Maria Sharapova in 2014

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are two of the greatest modern generation tennis stars. The legends played in the same era and had many memorable encounters. Even though the head-to-head record is largely in the favor of Serena Williams, Sharapova was no lesser a competitor.

However, when two supremely talented players clash, there’s always a chance of an ego clash. In a heated-up match of tennis, even the greatest of athletes lose their cool. A similar thing happened to Serena and Sharapova. They both gave negative comments against each other and avoided each other publically. However, Serena did something really commendable to melt the ice with her Russian counterpart.

Serena Williams’ cute gesture won Sharapova’s heart

After a long history of a heated rivalry with the Russian tennis star, Serena came out with a special tweet about Sharapova that helped them better their relationship. It happened in Indian Wells in 2014. Serena Williams openly accepted her liking for Sharapova’s attire in the tournament. Here’s what she wrote.

“I’m loving Maria S Nike outfit. #approved #supercute”

Later, when reporters informed Sharapova about it, she was also surprised. She said. “Really, are those her exact words, totally cute?” Further, Sharapova welcomed the friendly feature from Serena and suggested an exchange of designs to have fun.

“I think we have to exchange designs. We have to design an outfit for each other, without knowing – that would be fun to do, without telling each other what it is, just unveiling it. You guys would all show up for that, right?” Sharapova asked the reporters.

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It was a nice and mature gesture from Serena to level things up. Also, the credit goes to the Russian who accepted it with grace.

The rivalry between Serena and Sharapova

While the records suggest a sheer domination of Serena Williams, Sharapova was an equally brilliant tennis player. Serena has 23 Grand Slam titles to her name while Sharapova has five. Serena arrived early in the scene at a very young age and was a prominent name by the time Sharapova made her professional debut.

Over the years, the two clashed 22 times and Serena enjoys a comprehensive 20-2 lead. Serena was a star of a different level. She continued for a really long time. While Sharapova retired in 2020 to focus on her relationship and planning a family, Serena kept going, even after becoming a mother.

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What is your favorite Serena vs Sharapova moment? Let us know in the comments.