"I’ve had to stand up for myself many times": Sharapova remarks on being shunned for taking endorsements initially as a tennis player

Former world number one Maria Sharapova has revealed the struggles she had while becoming more than just a tennis player.

The 36-year-old achieved success both on and off the court, which is not that common in the world of tennis.

Sharapova was quoted in a report where she stated that she struggled during the early days when she wanted to be known as more than just a tennis player.

"When I gained success at a young age, I was genuinely surprised by how much interest there was in my life in every single lane,” she said. “I’ve had to stand up for myself many times. It wasn’t popular to be more than just a tennis player — to be interested in fashion, to have your own line. You’re in this sandbox, and you’re not allowed to play with anything else.”

Sharapova ended her illustrious career in 2020 after playing at the highest level for more than a decade.

During her career, she ended up winning five Grand Slams. She also became the world number one in August 2005.

Her most successful competition was the French Open where she won the title two times, in 2012 when she defeated Italy’s Sara Errani in the final with a score of 6-3, 6-2 and two years later in 2014 when she got the better of Romania’s Simona Halep with a score of 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–4.