Maria Sharapova paid a heartfelt tribute to her father, Yuri Sharapova, in her speech after getting inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Sharapova joined the likes of Mike and Bob Bryan to receive the honor and paved a storied career in the sport.
Sharapova is one of the most successful tennis players, who was the highest-paid female athlete from 2005 to 2015 (Forbes) and amassed five Grand Slam titles in her career. She was introduced to tennis through her father’s friend, Aleksandr Kafelnikov, whose son Yevgeny would go on to win two Grand Slam singles titles. Kafelnikov gifted the 38-year-old her first tennis racket when she was four, and she then practiced with her father.
In recent news, the Russian former player was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame. In her speech, she spoke about how her father had been the most integral figure in her journey, while Yuri Sharapov, seated in the audience, appeared visibly emotional. She credited him for guiding her in raising her bars and motivating her with conviction.
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"Dad, we really did this together, didn't we? I was a little nervous when my dad told me he was gonna choose a suit for today without any supervision, but you do you look good, I approve. I'm such a lucky girl to have navigated this journey under your wings when no one believed we could. You always did. You had conviction in your decisions, and you never looked back. You were tough, and you repeatedly expected me to raise my standards. But along the way, you never forgot your most important role to be my father, it is a gift I am deeply grateful for, thank you."
Sharapova's parents migrated from Gomel, Byelorussian SSR, to Russia in the wake of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident.
Maria Sharapova once revealed how she followed her father's vision
Maria Sharapova won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon when she was 17, defeating the iconic Serena Williams. The following year, she reached the No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings, but none of it would have been possible without the foundation her father had laid for her.
In an episode of Bloomberg's The Deal in February 2024, the former player expressed that it was her father who carved the path for her early on, and she just followed it.
"I had a very clear vision and so did my mother and my father. My father, particularly because he was my coach for many years and it was, you know, his big goals. I was too young to really have those big goals, but I followed this road that he paved for me."
Maria Sharapova featured in more non-tennis ads than any player in her time. She has been an investor in sectors like finance, wellness, and fashion and also founded her signature candy brand, Sugarpova, in 2012.
