What does Maria Sharapova’s memoir mean for tennis?
While Sharapova’s memoir is supposed to give her take on women’s tennis’s most famous feud, it doubles as a clear example of how the sport has often treated the two oppositely and unfairly.
Is Maria Sharapova the greatest woman tennis player of all time?
But how much Sharapova gets paid compared to a player who will go down in history as the greatest woman tennis player of all time does show how far being blonde, attractive, and talented can get you when you’re a woman in the sport.
Can Maria Sharapova beat Serena Williams?
Like in any tennis match between Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams in the past 13 years, the dominating figure in Sharapova’s new memoir, Unstoppable: My Life So Far, is Serena Williams. In the book, which came out on September 12, Sharapova explains why she believes she hasn’t beat Williams since 2004.
Is Maria Sharapova the next big thing?
At Wimbledon in 2004, that up-and-comer was Maria Sharapova. Sharapova, then 17, was touted as the next big thing — a blonde, Siberian-born, Nick Bollettieri-trained ball striker with a peacock-like grunt who could hit as hard as anyone on the women’s tour.
See more
What does Sharapova say about Williams?
Sharapova’s words about Williams in her book fit this pattern. “First of all, her physical presence is much stronger and bigger than you realize watching TV,” Sharapova writes . “She has thick arms and thick legs and is so intimidating and strong. And tall, really tall.”.
Who did Sharapova beat in 2004?
Instead of becoming Williams’s only formidable rival, Sharapova became the subject of a different narrative: Though she could seemingly beat anyone not named Serena Williams, whenever the two faced off, people questioned whether she might once again tap into the Wimbledon magic she’d had in 2004.
What is the feud between Sharapova and Williams?
And it’s a feud that has captivated tennis fans and sportswriters even when the women’s matches have not. It’s offered a glimpse into the “real” world of tennis that lies beneath the sport’s scrim of decorum, handshakes, standard press conferences, and formality.
What can Serena Williams control?
What she can control is how she talks about tennis and about her relationship about Williams in her new book, and what she’s said fits into a troubling pattern of how tennis has portrayed Serena Williams. Williams and her sister Venus Williams are the two most successful tennis players in the modern era.
How many times has Sharapova lost to Williams?
Though Sharapova beat Williams one more time in 2004, at the WTA Championships in November, she’s since lost to Williams 18 straight times — the most recent of which was at the 2016 Australian Open.
When did Serena Williams win Wimbledon?
In 2009, after she won Wimbledon against her sister Venus, Serena Williams was asked if she saw herself as the No. 1 player in the world even though she was ranked No. 2 at the time — she had won the Australian Open earlier that year. “I see myself as No. 2; that’s where I am.
Who did Maria Sharapova feud with?
Maria Sharapova’s feud with Serena Williams, explained. In her memoir and beyond, Sharapova can’t stop using Williams to define her own career. By Alex Abad-Santos [email protected] Updated Sep 18, 2017, 10:41am EDT. Share this story. Share this on Facebook.