The tennis court has long been a battleground for fierce rivalries, and some of those intense face-offs seem to live on well beyond the final set. Take Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams, for example—two legends who shared one of the most talked-about rivalries in tennis history. But even after hanging up their racquets, it looks like these two powerhouses have found a new way to keep the competition alive. And no, it’s not on the court this time—it’s in the world of fashion!

Sharapova and Williams have faced each other 22 times on the tennis courts. While the American kept her domination intact throughout by winning 20 of those encounters, fans were often mesmerized to see both players on the courts. Despite hanging up their racquets, Sharapova and Williams once again seem to take on each other, and this time, it is because of their love for fashion.

Serena Williams has continued to dazzle the world with her remarkable taste for fashion. The latest example was witnessed on October 17, when the star player was featured on the cover page of ESSENCE Magazine. In the pictures for the limited edition subscribers’ cover shared by the official Instagram page of the magazine, the American tennis great was seen in black attire with a beige overcoat as she delivered a sizzling look. Williams too shared some glimpses of the shoot on her Instagram page.

Taking to her social media on Friday evening, the former pro shared a video starring herself and products for her fashion brand WYN.  She also thanked the publication for giving her a platform to talk about her ventures and her idea of fashion. “Thank you so much, @essence, for allowing me to grace your cover to talk about my business ventures. From investing in women and diversity with my VC company @serena.ventures to having my active makeup line that lasts all day and is clean and vegan, I love being a businesswoman,” she wrote. But while Williams garnered immense attention, her old rival Sharapova, who shares a similar interest in business and fashion, unintentionally showcased that she is still prepared to compete with her old rival, even if it’s not on the court. 

Soon after Serena Williams’s post gained traction, Maria Sharapova was quick to share pictures from her latest photoshoot for the Numero Netherlands magazine. The time difference between the posts of both players was just 2 hours and hence, it can be seen as a competitive attempt. In the pictures, the former Russian player can be seen in gorgeous body-fitting attire. In other pictures, she was seen in a knitted white dress which added to her glamor. 

Captioning the post, Sharapova wrote, “Cover of @numero_netherlands out today 🖤🤍 Sculptural shapes and a dream team of collaborators.” Remember, both Sharapova and Williams have shared immense love for fashion in the past. Explaining her idea of fashion, Sharapova once revealed that “the way that you dress off the court, it has to be true to who you are.” The star player has often preferred tailored clothes that meet her taste.

In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Sharapova shared, “I prefer elegant silhouettes, working off layers and textures, nothing too loud, pieces that are more focussed on the details and the stitching.” Meanwhile, Williams has also highlighted how important is fashion for her. 

Speaking to Vogue about her style on and off the court, Williams said, “I think it’s so fun to have fun with fashion.” Continuing further, she added that she loved amalgamating her sport and her taste for fashion. “In my sport I have a great opportunity to play in something really wild and really fun and really express myself. Most people only see me on the court.” But despite the latest form of rivalry that seems to be taking place between Williams and Sharapova, they have also shed light on their friendship that bloomed off the court. 

When Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova expressed their regard for each other

Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams might have been one of the fiercest rivals but they have also developed some good bonds after bidding adieu to the sport. In May this year at the Met Museum, Sharapova posted a series of hilarious videos where she was trying to get a picture with the Williams sisters together. But when she found Serena, Venus had disappeared, and vice versa. 

Speaking of that day, Serena told Harper’s Bazaar, “We always love seeing each other. At the Met Gala, I literally was looking for her. I was like, “Where’s Maria? Where is she at?” I think she’s a super cool girl.”  Williams also noted that she has immense admiration for her former opponent. “Now that we’re in a different part of our life, I have so much respect for her. And obviously, I did when I was playing too. I had to gear up to win every single time, but it’s a different kind of respect now.” Similarly, Sharapova has also expressed her admiration for the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

Speaking to Tennis Channel about her former nemesis, the Russian shared, “Now, we get to reflect on the past and have a good laugh about it. Yeah, you know, and also seeing you know her she has two kids now and also an incredibly strong business platform. Yeah, we have a lot of fun, we have some good some good, good chats on our phones.” As time evolves, it would be interesting to see what shape this friendship cum rivalry takes going ahead. Will they openly engage in a fashion battle? What are your thoughts?