Maria Sharapova, a former tennis superstar, has undergone a remarkable transformation since retiring from the sport. Rising to fame in 2004 with a surprising Wimbledon victory at just 17 against Lindsay Davenport, she later achieved the world No. 1 ranking in August 2005, becoming the first Russian woman to do so.
Throughout her career, Sharapova secured multiple major titles, including the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008, and the French Open in 2012 and 2014. Notably, her victory at the Australian Open came as an underdog after a two-year Grand Slam title drought.
Aside from her on-court success, Sharapova gained widespread recognition for her beauty, being named ‘the hottest athlete in the world’ by Maxim for four consecutive years starting in 2006. Following her retirement in 2020, she embraced a new brunette look, moving away from her iconic blonde hair.
Transitioning into the business realm, Sharapova joined the Board of Directors for Moncler, a renowned Italian fashion brand, in 2023. She also serves as an advisor to companies like Naked Retail and Bright. With a substantial social media following, Sharapova shares glimpses of her life as a mother and her post-tennis endeavors on Instagram, where she has over 4.7 million followers.
Despite officially stepping away from professional tennis, Sharapova briefly returned to the sports scene in 2024 by participating in a Pickleball tournament alongside John McEnroe. However, they were defeated by Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi, missing out on a million-dollar prize.
In other news, Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, offering significant savings and an expanded lineup of over 1,400 live matches covering the Premier League, EFL, and more. Sky is set to broadcast at least 215 live Premier League games in the upcoming season, marking an increase of up to 100 matches from the previous year.