Former WTA No.1 Maria Sharapova made her feelings known about playing with immense expectations on her back. Sharapova, a Nyagan-born player, made her strides in the history books of the sport at the very young age of 17 when she won the Wimbledon championships in 2004, defeating a player who went on to become an arch rival across her career, Serena Williams.
She went on to add four more Grand Slams, several other major titles, and an Olympic silver medal at the 2012 Olympics across her career, which established her status as one of the most formidable players on the WTA circuit. Thereby, with this immense success, Sharapova also faced immense expectations and the pressure to deliver from her fans.
Speaking about it in her recent appearance on Served with Andy Roddick podcast, Sharapova shared that this expectation to deliver is what makes the sport joyful in her perspective. Additionally, the 5-time Grand Slam champion also added that facing pressure before important matches is great in her opinion. She said [44:15 onwards]:
Trending
"I kind of like, that's the joy of, playing like if someone expects you to do well, it's because you deserve to get in that position. You know, when you're walking through a Grand Slam tunnel, then you need to tell the supervisor that wait, I need a minute because I need to go to the bathroom and take a poop, like that's a great feeling because it means there's something on the line."
Besides her tennis stint, Maria Sharapova also has a profound entrepreneurial career. She has found brands such as Sugarpova and has also invested in several businesses, such as Supergoop and Therabody.
Maria Sharapova expands her portfolio as she ties up with a Dubai-based brokerage company
Maria Sharapova recently joined a Dubai-based brokerage company, CFI Financial Group, as its global ambassador. Notable personalities such as 7-time F1 World champion Lewis Hamilton have also joined forces with the company.
CFI deals with several investment paths, such as stocks, cryptos and metals. Speaking about her partnership, Sharapova stated that the ideals on which CFI is built aligned with her principles immensely. She added further and said (via Entrepreneur):
"CFI's focus on innovation, education, and empowering individuals resonated with me. Whether in sport or business, success comes down to being intentional, prepared, and willing to learn. I've always believed in the importance of staying curious, adapting to change, and leading with purpose."
Further, Maria Sharapova remarked that she is proud to be the global ambassador of CFI and is looking forward to helping individuals grow across the globe.
