From rivals to bosom buddies, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova‘s journey has been a testament to sportsmanship and mutual respect! While their rivalry was more competitive during their first encounters, by the end of their careers, their equation had turned. Recently, the Russian tennis player opened up about their current equation.

Among the retired tennis stars gracing the courtside in London at Wimbledon, Sharapova was also present. The 37-year-old former tennis star sat down with Martina Navratilova to talk about all things tennis and fashion, and of course that brought up Sharapova’s Met Gala memories, and her relationship with Serena Williams.

The duo had a fierce rivalry so to speak, but mostly it was one sided with Sharapova winning against Williams just twice in their 22 meetings on court. But now? It’s all water under the bridge. Sharapova said on The Tennis Channel interview, “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.”

Even though they are currently texting one another as buddies, a few months ago, there was constant debate over whether or not there was animosity between them. In response, the 23-time Grand Slam champion spoke out about her formerly tense relationship with her longtime rival.

In a conversation, Williams stated, “I mean, was there ever beef? I guess. It was just competitive though. She was winning, I was winning, you know? We both wanted to win, and I don’t think it was personal. It was just, ‘Do you want to win?'” 

The two have been sighted together at a number of entertainment business events, such as the Met Gala this year, and on red carpets. There, Serena Williams and her former rivals teamed up to form a chic tennis trio with Venus Williams added to the fray, posting their fun on social media. There was even a time in 2022 when the 23-time Grand Slam champion chose the Russian over Caroline Wozniacki!

Serena Williams declared Maria Sharapova her ‘best friend’ 

Despite their great admiration for one another, the two weren’t the closest of friends while working together. Nevertheless, when they both accepted parenthood, everything was different. Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova grew closer as a result of sharing this transformative event; in a 2022 interview, Williams even referred to Sharapova as her best friend, stating that their newfound friendship was a result of their similar experiences becoming mothers.

In a conversation with Good Morning America, she said, “She is my best friend now. Sorry, Caroline (Wozniacki). Also the first person I can call to discuss my day-to-day things with. Motherhood has brought us really close to each other.” Reunited recently during Paris Fashion Week, the two attended the ‘Big 4’ fashion weeks (with London, Milan, and New York).

Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on their friendship? Do let us know in the comment section below.