"As a mother I cannot imagine that type of separation": Maria Sharapova didn't see mother for two years during early career US move

Former world number one Russia’s Maria Sharapova has opened up about difficulty meeting with her mother after moving the US.

The 36-year-old moved to the country at the age of 14 and while speaking about it, she expressed regret about not being able to meet her mother for a long period of time.

"My mom didn’t join me for the first two years,” she said. “I didn’t see her for two years. It’s very interesting looking back at it because I’m now a mother of a 16-month-old and I cannot imagine that type of separation.

"It was a world of unknown simply because visas were so difficult to get at that time as they are now by the way. But she just put so much emphasis on the fact that, ‘What an amazing gift that her husband and daughter had the chance to go pursue a sport in the United States.’ I think she looked at it from that perspective."

Sharapova announced retirement from the sport in February 2020, rather surprisingly at the age of just 33. She ended her career after winning five Grand Slams. Interestingly, despite winning just five major titles in her career, the former world number one managed to complete the Career Grand Slam after winning all four majors.