From "I will never lose to that little b**** again" to "Don't have any negative feelings", Serena Williams' quotes on Maria Sharapova over the years

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, two tennis icons, have shared a captivating rivalry on and off the court. With their contrasting styles of play and fierce determination, their matches kept fans on the edge of their seats as the duo dominated women's tennis during their time.

Williams and Sharapova faced each other 22 times on the main tour. The American dominated their head-to-head battle 20-2, with Sharapova's only two wins coming at the Wimbledon Championships and the WTA Tour Championships in 2004.

The Russian was also handed a walkover during their fourth-round clash at the 2018 French Open, as Williams could not compete due to injury.

Over the years, both players have made intriguing comments about each other, adding fuel to the fire of their intense competition. On that note, let's delve into the build-up and story behind some of the most memorable quotes Serena Williams has said about Maria Sharapova on and off the court.

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#7. "I will never lose to that little b**** again"

In 2004, 17-year-old Maria Sharapova shocked the tennis world by defeating defending champion Serena Williams at Wimbledon. The Russian outclassed the top seed in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.

The American's reaction to this loss was filled with determination and a strong desire for revenge. According to Sharapova's autobiography 'Unstoppable: My Life So Far,' an angry Serena Williams allegedly told a friend that she would never lose to the Russian again in her career.

"I will never lose to that little bit**(expletive) again," Serena Williams said, according to a mutual friend.

This quote set the stage for their future encounters and fueled Williams' motivation to dominate their rivalry. She lived up to her word and overpowered Sharapova 20 times on the main tour.

These also included three wins in Grand Slam finals, twice at the Australian Open (2007, 2015) and a remarkable victory at the 2013 French Open.

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#6. "She was upfront and very honest and showed a lot of courage to admit to what she had done"

When Sharapova faced a doping scandal in 2016, Serena Williams expressed her support for the Russian's courage in speaking out.

Maria Sharapova held a press conference to reveal her positive test for the banned substance meldonium, taken for heart issues and performance enhancement. The test occurred during the 2016 Australian Open, where she lost to Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.

While many expected the Russian to announce her retirement due to an arm injury, she surprised the tennis fraternity by admitting to the drug test, attributing it to her physician's recommendation over the last decade. Sharapova claimed she overlooked the email from the World Anti-Doping Agency about meldonium's new status.

Williams appreciated the way Sharapova handled the situation and felt it was brave to address the issue in front of the entire world.

"I think like everyone else said most people were surprised and shocked by Maria. Most people were happy that she was upfront and very honest and showed a lot of courage to admit to what she had done and what she had neglected to look at in terms of the list at the end of the year," Serena Williams said in a press conference.

The situation eventually led to a lengthy ban for Sharapova and suspensions from sponsors like Porsche, Nike, and Tag Heuer. Her ban was eventually reduced from two years to 15 months after the court ruled that there was no intent to violate the new regulations.

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#5. "I didn't know she looked up to me that much or was so involved in my (Serena Williams) career"

In response to Maria Sharapova's autobiography, "Unstoppable: My Life So Far,' Serena Williams expressed no ill will toward her, emphasizing that she competes with all opponents equally.

The American was pleasantly surprised that the book extensively featured a lot of bites about her career. The American didn't expect such a strong focus on her in Sharapova's work, revealing that she wasn't aware of the extent to which she had influenced and inspired her rival.

"I didn't expect to be reading a book about me that wasn't necessarily true. I didn't know she looked up to me that much or was so involved in my career," Serena Williams said in a press conference.

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#4. "It’s a Wimbledon final, I think it would be more shocking if I wasn’t in tears"

Serena Williams, in reaction to Maria Sharapova's book, expressed her disappointment, characterizing it as entirely reliant on hearsay.

She defended her emotional reactions in the locker room after losses, deeming them a common expression of passion and determination in high-stakes matches, like the Wimbledon finals. The American also emphasized her humanity and emotional nature.

"I think the book was 100 percent hearsay, at least all the stuff that I read and the quotes that I read, which was a little bit disappointing. But I’ve cried in the locker room many times after a loss. That’s what I’ve seen a lot of people do, and I think it’s normal," Williams told the media.

"I think, if anything, it shows the passion and the desire and the will that you have to want to go out there and do the best. It’s a Wimbledon final. I think it would be more shocking if I wasn’t in tears. I am emotional, and I do have emotions, and I wear them on my sleeve. I’m human," she added.

Williams also suggested that the contents of those moments should remain private rather than being portrayed in a negative light in a book.

"I think what happens there should definitely, maybe, stay there and not necessarily talk about it in a not-so-positive way in a book," the American said.

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#3. "And, hey, if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it"

Serena Williams indirectly commented on Maria Sharapova's relationship with Grigor Dimitrov during a conversation with her sister Venus Williams.

While speaking to a Rolling Stone reporter, Williams mentioned a "top-five player" who consistently began interviews with "I’m so happy. I’m so lucky," deeming it boring.

She suggested that the said player wouldn't be invited to the "cool parties" and made a cryptic reference to "the guy with a black heart," seemingly referring to Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.

"She begins every interview with ‘I’m so happy. I’m so lucky’ – it’s so boring,” Williams said. "She’s still not going to be invited to the cool parties. And, hey, if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it." (A calculated guess is Serena Williams was talking about Sharapova, who began dating her ex-boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov)

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#2. "I always said, her ball somehow lands in my strike zone; It's just perfect for me"

In a blockbuster first-round clash at the 2019 US Open, Serena Williams dominated Sharapova with a resounding 6-1, 6-1 victory. The American acknowledged the match-up's unique nature, stating:

"I just feel like her game really matches up well against mine. I always said her ball somehow lands in my strike zone. It's just perfect for me," Serena Williams told reporters.

This quote highlights Williams' understanding of their on-court dynamics and her ability to exploit Sharapova's weaknesses.

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#1. "I don't have any negative feelings towards her"

In the 2018 French Open, Serena Williams expressed her lack of negative feelings towards her long-time rival Maria Sharapova, despite earlier disappointments related to some hearsay pieces of information in the Russian's book.

The American was drawn to play Sharapova in the fourth round of the 2018 French Open after outfoxing Julia Georges in the third. In her post-match interview, the reporter inquired whether the match held significance beyond tennis due to both players' household name status and success off the court.

Williams highlighted the importance of positivity, especially from the perspective of being a mother, and emphasized the need for women to support and uplift one another, rather than fostering negativity.

"So I don't have any negative feelings towards her, which again, was a little disappointing to see in that hearsay book. So I have always, you know, and especially having a daughter, like, I feel like negativity is taught. One of the things I always say, I feel like women, especially, should bring each other up," Serena Williams said.

From the American's determination to avenge her first loss to Sharapova's admiration and controversial book, their words have added drama and intrigue to their on-court battles. Their quotes serve as a testament to the fierce competition and mutual respect that define their rivalry.