Maria Sharapova makes a revelation about Serena Williams

07/05/2024 04:00 PM

The relationship between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova has not always been roses and flowers. By virtue of their great rivalry the two champions, who often and willingly competed for the most important trophies at stake, have created sparks.

The old rusts are now part of the past, but the former Russian number one has not deleted from his mind the cumbersome figure of Serena: "She was definitely the opponent who intimidated me the most during my career," said Maria Sharapova, who was only able to win twice in the previous 22 with the American.

"When I was young I happened to lose 6-0 6-1 to Monica Seles, I was 16 years old and despite everything I shouted to my father that I had made a good match. Then I totally collapsed on my way home. But Serena Williams was my toughest rival to challenge", said Maria Sharapova in the podcast Never Stand Still, winner of all 4 Slams.

Now, instead, after the career of both, a nice friendship and sincere complicity was born, off the field: "Now we can reflect on the past and have a good laugh. He has two children, a successful company. And now that I know her a lot I enjoy chatting with her via chat on our phones," she admitted from Tennis Channel studios. Maria, now a successful businesswoman, is enjoying the Championchips show as a spectator.

Serena Williams is considered by many to be the best player of all time. The American "risked" to play her first official match on the circuit at the age of 14, but the WTA held everything up by preventing the Oakland tournament from awarding her a wild card so as not to add further weight to an already hard predestined course.

Serena Williams soon learned to build a kind of inner armor to try to manage the pressure in the best way and managed to win 73 singles titles, including 23 Slams.