Maria Sharapova worked hard at the beginning of her tennis career to make a name for herself. She and her father relocated to the United States when she was still a youngster so she could pursue her dreams. The move paid off, as the Russian star became one of the top names in the world of tennis.

However, things weren’t as easy as they looked. At one point, she was in a bad state of mind and struggled to make the right decisions. And come the year 2013, in one of her interviews, the 35-year-old revealed that she hired Connors and then fired him right after one match.

Maria Sharapova and her short stint with Jimmy Connors

In 2013, Sharapova went ahead and had a lengthy interview with The New York Times. During the interview, she said that she was responsible for this situation’s outcome because of her pessimistic outlook during the summer. 

“When he came in post-Wimbledon, I don’t think any coach could have succeeded in the frame of mind I had at that time. Because I was going to practice, and I knew I couldn’t serve, and I knew that there was a good chance I might not play the U.S. Open. As an athlete, that’s tough to digest. I was not fun to be around,” said the five-time Grand Slam champion.

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According to some reports, Yuri was the one who suggested bringing Connors on board. Later, Sharapova asked her father, Yuri, to call Connors and tell him that she did not want to continue working with him.

Sharapova’s staggering record as a player

At the age of 18, she made history by ascending to the top of the women’s tennis rankings for the first time. Following her 2004 Wimbledon triumph, she claimed the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008, and then the 2012 and 2014 French Open championships. 

However, in February 2020, a shoulder ailment forced the five-time Grand Slam champion to declare her retirement from tennis. During her nearly two-decade-long professional tennis career, Sharapova won 36 WTA singles titles and 5 Grand Slam titles. To go with all these, she also won the silver medal at the 2012 Olympics.

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