Legendary tennis player Serena Williams has rejected claims
of having a ‘beef’ with former world number one Maria Sharapova. In her autobiography Unstoppable, the Russian tennis star stated that America’s
legendary star hated her after losing in the final at Wimbledon in 2004 against
all odds with a score of 6-1, 6-4. "I think Serena hated me for being the
skinny kid who beat her, against all odds, at Wimbledon," she wrote.
Serena, who is often regarded as the greatest player in the history
of women’s singles tennis in the Open era, having won as many as 23 Grand Slam
titles in her illustrious career, was recently quoted in a report where she
rejected the notion of having a ‘beef’ with Sharapova as they both wanted to
win.
"Not anymore. I mean, was there ever beef? I guess. It
was just competitive. She was winning. I was winning, you know, we both wanted
to win, and I don't think it was personal. It was just, 'Do you want to
win?'" she said. Interestingly, both players competed 22 times in professional
tennis where Serena has a far better record as she registered 20 wins compared
to just two wins by Sharapova.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.