Maria Sharapova is a former pro tennis player who became the first Russian woman to win Wimbledon and earned a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Who Is Maria Sharapova?
Born in Russia, Maria Sharapova moved to the United States at an early age and began training at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. After turning professional as a teen, she burst into the spotlight by winning the 2004 Wimbledon women’s singles title. Sharapova became the 10th woman to earn a career Grand Slam with her French Open win in 2012, and she claimed her second French crown and fifth overall Grand Slam title in 2014. Suspended for 15 months after testing positive for a banned substance, Sharapova returned to the court in April 2017 and won her final WTA title later that year. She announced her retirement in February 2020.