Maria Sharapova names Coco Gauff & 2 more WTA players as the ones that have impressed her the most recently

Maria Sharapova recently showered rich praise on three WTA players for their respective tennis games and their influence on fans. The former World No. 1 Russian especially lauded World No. 3 Coco Gauff for already being a Major winner at the age of 20.

Sharapova retired from pro tennis at the Australian Open five years ago, following a prolonged battle with injuries. While the 37-year-old has focused on her family life and business ventures since then, she is not beyond giving her thoughts on the goings-on in the tennis world occasionally.

Earlier this week, Maria Sharapova spoke to Pop Sugar on a wide variety of topics. During the interaction, the Russian was asked to name any players on the women's circuit that had attracted her attention since her retirement.

In response, she named Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur and Mirra Andreeva — going in-depth on each player's appeal to her.

"I'm such a big fan of Coco Gauff. Although she's already won a Grand Slam, she's exciting to watch and has such a great future ahead of her. She also just handles herself so well off the court, too," Maria Sharapova told Pop Sugar on Monday. "Ons Jabeur has an incredible story and has inspired so many young girls to pick up sport in a region of the world that's not familiar with tennis.

"And lastly, Mirra Andreeva is another talent I'm rooting for. She just recently broke into the top 10, so she's one to definitely watch."

Gauff secured her first Grand Slam triumph at the 2023 US Open against all odds and has displayed impressive consistency ever since then. The American won her second-biggest title to date at last year's WTA Finals.

Jabeur, meanwhile, peaked at No. 2 in the world in June 2022 and has been devoted to inspiring Arab women to take up tennis in the Middle East. Last year, the 30-year-old also notably became the ambassador for the World Food Programme (WFP) - a mission started by the UN to curb global hunger and malnutrition.

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Maria Sharapova: "Mirra Andreeva has a very bright future ahead of her"

Maria Sharapova, evian global ambassador, celebrates the evian x Balmain pop-up hosted at the Rosewood Montecito - Source: Getty

Last, but certainly not the least, Mirra Andreeva has shown immense potential to win big titles at the bare age of 17. Outside of her interview with Pop Sugar, Maria Sharapova had given huge props to the teen prodigy well before she picked up the biggest title of her career at the Dubai Tennis Championships last month.

In May 2024, Sharapova told WTA that the 17-year-old would have a breakout season on the WTA Tour. The five-time Major winner was vindicated in her prediction a few weeks later, as Andreeva beat second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka to reach the semifinals at the French Open. She would win her maiden pro title at the Iasi Open a month later, which helped her finish the season ranked 16th in the world.

"I want to say Mirra Andreeva will have a phenomenal year. I followed a little bit of her matches in 23’ and I think she has a strong attitude [and] she has the game to back it up," Maria Sharapova said last May. "Genuinely, just like her approach and her sensibility in the game. And I think she has a very bright future ahead of her."

Andreeva and Gauff, meanwhile, are contending for the WTA 1000 title in Indian Wells this week. While the Russian will face 2023 titlist Elena Rybakina in a blockbuster fourth-round clash, the American will take on the dangerous Belinda Bencic.