‘Throwing Myself Out There’- Maria Sharapova Narrates How Harvard Classmates Were Intimidated by Her Presence

Maria Sharapova has wowed tennis fans for years with her risky serve and forehand. She was once famously known for her Guinness World Record for her grunt that recorded 103 DB. Michelle Larcher de Brito later broke it at the 2013 Wimbledon Open.

The 35-year-old, made the most of her physical attributes, particularly her height, to win matches. She went on to win five Grand Slam singles titles over the course of her impressive career. Furthermore, in August 2005, she topped the WTA rankings.

Maria Sharapova and her journey toward business

Back in September 2019, Five-time Grand Slam champion, Maria Sharapova, talked to Veronica Dagher. The latter asked Sharapova about how she handles her finances, career, and the high expectations of others. 

Later, during the same conversation, Veronica Dagher asked about the most crucial lesson Sharapova learned at Harvard. The legendary tennis player said, “For me, it was really getting to know the people and that unfamiliar ground ’cause I’m always around people I know, so just throwing myself out there was, and asking a question in a schoolroom, it’s like, okay, at Harvard, (laughing) when you’re not having an answer but you’re asking a question. Like, okay, once I did that, I cooled down.“

The tennis great also held the title of the highest-paid female athlete in the world, for a record 11 consecutive years. Maria Sharapova has been actively involved in Sugarpova and the Maria Sharapova Foundation. It is committed to aiding underprivileged children, post her retirement on September 26, 2020.

Where did it all start for her?

Maria Sharapova rose to fame at 17, when she shocked the tennis world by beating Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final. For the Russian, it was one of only two victories over the American, the other coming at the 2004 WTA Championships. 

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Williams has won 20 of their matches, making this rivalry one of the most dominant in tennis. Their most recent match was in the first round of the 2019 US Open, which she won 6-1, 6-1.

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For most of 2019, Sharapova was sidelined by a shoulder injury, limiting her performance to just one quarterfinal appearance. Eventually, the former No. 1 bid adieu to her illustrious career before she lost matches to Jennifer Brady in Brisbane and Donna Vekic at the Australian Open 2020.