Maria Sharapova announces retirement at the age of 32

What’s the story?

Five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova has announced her retirement from tennis in her column for Vogue and Vanity Fair.

In case you didn’t know

One of Russia’s greatest sportspersons, Sharapova has called curtains on her career at the age of 32. She last won a Grand Slam in 2014, which was also her second French Open title, and she last played professional tennis at the 2020 Australian Open, where she was knocked out in the first round by Donna Vekić.

Heart of the matter

Sharapova wrote in her column that she will miss everything about tennis,

"In giving my life to tennis, tennis gave me a life. I'll miss it every day. I'll miss the training and my daily routine: Waking up at dawn, lacing my left shoe before my right, and closing the court's gate before I hit my first ball of the day.

"I'll miss my team, my coaches. I'll miss the moments sitting with my father on the practice court bench. The handshakes—win or lose—and the athletes, whether they knew it or not, who pushed me to be my best."

What’s next?

Ever since her return to tennis after a 15-month ban, which was imposed because she tested positive for banned substance meldonium at the Australian Open, Sharapova was unable to reach her previous heights. It is only fair then for the Russian to say goodbye to the sport instead of painfully dragging her career.