Pickleball Slam 2 : Is Maria Sharapova Hinting at a Tennis Comeback Through Her Team-up With John McEnroe?

Early in the 2010s, came a Russian player who took the tennis world by storm. Maria Sharapova made everyone fall in love with her game and not only slashed sporting records but also accomplished many things off the court. However, after a career that spanned around 2 decades, the Russian beauty finally called it quits and decided to retire from the sport in 2020. Since then, she has been focusing on her family along with other ventures.

Now, aged 36, the 5-time grand slam winner is all set to step her foot on the court yet again. However this time, it will be at the Pickleball Slam 2 where she’ll be teaming up with John McEnroe to face Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf. But the question that now lies is: Could pickleball pave the way for her official tennis return?

Just a Pickleball Slam match for Maria Sharapova or is it a comeback to tennis?

Maria Sharapova teaming up with John McEnroe in Pickleball Slam 2 has got people wondering if she’s thinking of making a tennis comeback. While many think that the return could be only the cards for the Russian sensation, this could not be the case.

At 36, she’s not the youngest player around, and with new talents in tennis, it would be tough for her to climb back to the top. Sharapova has a history of aiming for nothing but the best, but a serious tennis return might be a stretch.

Even though she’s having fun playing pickleball, the idea of going back to the intense world of professional tennis seems unlikely. Apart from that, she will have to focus on putting in hours of hard work which could be an tough ask for her at this point given her other ventures and her time with family.

Also read: 36-Year-Old Russian Tennis Beauty Maria Sharapova and Toddler Son Surprises ‘Papa Bear’ on His Special Day With a Sweet Message

Not only this, at 36, there would be only a couple of years more till she could play tennis professionally. Thus, she would most certainly not want to make a comeback to the game only to retire shortly after. Tennis has changed, and while Sharapova might enjoy the laid-back atmosphere of pickleball, getting back into the tough competition of tennis is probably not in her plans.

Sharapova has already left her mark in tennis, and her current pickleball stint might just be a way to enjoy new challenges. Fans might wish for a tennis comeback, but it’s more realistic to appreciate her past achievements and cheer on the new stars in the tennis scene. Do you wish to see Maria Sharapova making her comeback to the sport? Do let us know in the comments below!

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