“No one in my family is as tall as I am so it's definitely a consideration” – Maria Sharapova jokingly credits Chernobyl blast for her height

Former tennis player Maria Sharapova recently joked about the Chernobyl blast benefitting her height.

The Russian's mother Yelena was pregnant with her at the time when one of the reactors at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded in the year 1986. The plant was located in the city of Pripyat, Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine). Pripyat was not too far away from the Byelorussian SSR (now Belarus) border.

Scores of people died instantly due to the blast whereas thousands later lost their lives because of the harmful radiations that spread across in the air following the blast.

Born on April 19, 1987, Sharapova recalled growing up in the aftermath of the catastrophe in a recent episode of the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast.

"It was a very different upbringing, I was born in Siberia because of the Chernobyl explosion and my mom was pregnant with me and they were living 30 kilometers from the explosion in Belarus at the time," Sharapova said (12:15).

Dax Shepard, the podcast host, then funnily argued if the gamma radiation mutated Sharapova's genes responsible for growth.

"It’s been mentioned a few times. No one [in my family] is as tall as I am so it’s definitely been a consideration," Maria Sharapova replied laughing (12:29).

The six-foot-two-inch-tall tennis player further recounted how her father Yuri took her to Florida, USA, for greater opportunities in tennis.

"We fled to Siberia and that’s where I was born and a few years later, we moved down south to a warmer town [Sochi] in the Black Sea, that’s where I started. Then at the age of five, my father and I flew to Florida and I’ve lived in the US since," she said (12:41).

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A brief account of Maria Sharapova's 5 Grand Slam glories

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova turned pro in the year 2001. She made her first Grand Slam appearance at the Australian Open two years later.

Sharapova's first success at the Majors came at the 2004 Wimbledon Championships. She defeated the defending champion Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4 in the final.

The Russian tasted success at the Grand Slams for the second time in 2006. She lifted the US Open trophy by downing Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne 6-4, 6-4 in the summit clash.

The former World No. 1 then won the Australian Open in 2008 by beating Ana Ivanovic in straight sets. It was her sixth attempt at the title.

In 2012, Maria Sharapova completed the Career Slam by winning the French Open trophy. Sara Errani finished as the runner-up then. Sharapova won the Roland Garros title again in 2014, beating Simona Halep in the summit clash.