"I don't see it in my future, don't know how mothers do it" - Maria Sharapova on returning to tennis after giving birth

Maria Sharapova and her fiance, British businessman Alexander Gilkes, welcomed their first child, a son, in July this year. The Russian player, however, is in no mood to jump on the growing list of players — with Dane Caroline Wozniacki being the lastest — returning to the sport after motherhood.

While in conversation with fellow 2010s star Andrea Petekovic in the latest episode of The Rennae Stubbs Podcast, Sharapova said she did not see a possible return to tennis in her future. The former World No. 1 was responding to Petkovic's comment on a plethora of young mothers retuning to the WTA Tour and competing — as well as winning big — at the highest level.

"I don't know how they do it, I don't see that in my future," Maria Sharapova said on being asked about a possible return to the sport.

Earlier this year, Elina Svitolina returned to the tour just months after giving birth to her daughter Skai. The Ukrainian found instant success, reaching the quarter-final at both the French Open and Wimbledon.

Maria Sharpova's fellow former World No. 1 Wozniacki followed suit, returning to tennis in Montreal. She would go on to reach the fourth round at the US Open, where she took a set off eventual champion Coco Gauff.

Notably, the 2020 US Open saw three mothers — Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Tsvetana Pironkova make the quarterfinals — for the first time in Open Era.

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"I love seeing where those athletes start, where they are from" - Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova at the 2020 Australian Open.

When asked about her interest in the business side of the sport during the same inteview, Maria Sharapova said she always enjoyed learning about atheletes' back stories and the work that they put in to reach the top of the game.

"I love seeing where those athletes start, where they are from," Maria Sharapova said. "How did they get there? What work did they do? Who helped them? How did it things have to come together?"

Equating that with business, the Russian said these things are like puzzle pieces — which can at times align perfectly, and at other times not fit with each other at all. Sharapova added that she was very comfortable in stepping back and looking at the mechanics of the sports beyond the stadium court matches.

"And I see a lot of similarities and in business like to understand how these puzzles align and sometimes you want them to align and you do everything you can and they don't," Maria Sharapova said. "It's just the way and then you have to like go back to the drawing board and yeah, but I love, I love stepping back."

"I love seeing how players practice I love seeing how they do the work that's not fancy," she continued. "That's not on stadium court, well and do."