Tennis legend Maria Sharapova has recently hailed Monica Seles as one of the greatest female tennis players to have ever graced the court with her dominant yet defensive play. Seles has found a place in Sharapova’s Mount Rushmore of the greatest tennis players after Sharapova recounted their early encounter that left behind a lasting impact on the Russian legend.
Before emerging as one of the greatest tennis players from Russia with multiple Grand Slam wins, Maria Sharapova went through a series of humble beginnings that helped her learn the ropes of the sport that defined her career. One of the few delights of her early days in her career was the 2002 Indian Wells match against the nine-time Grand Slam champion, Monica Seles, where Sharapova suffered a crushing 6-0, 6-2 loss that made her question her position in the sport.
Sharapova recently took part in a discussion on ‘The Rushmore Podcast,’ where she discussed her professional career and debated which female tennis players deserve a spot at Mount Rushmore. The selection was based on who was the most dominant in their play and stats, and that is when Sharapova recalled her encounter with Seles.
She spoke about how good it actually felt despite losing the bout, alongside feeling hopeless for a brief moment.
“I played Monica Seles twice, and I remember this one match specifically at the beginning of my career in Palm Springs. I’m very young, and with my first round, I drew Monica, I lost. I come off the court, and I think to myself, “I felt like I played the best match of my life.” “I played so well that there was nothing that I could do better, and she smoked me. Like I wasn’t even there, and I didn’t even belong there,” she said (16:54).
Monica Seles has been one of the most renowned names in the history of tennis, winning nine Grand Slam titles — eight of which came when she was just a teenager.
Maria Sharapova Talks About Her Podcast “Pretty Tough” That Highlights Female Strength
The podcast “Pretty Tough” is a dream endeavor launched by Maria Sharapova, who aims to have conversations with some of the world’s greatest achievers in their respective fields and highlight the behind-the-scenes work that went into their stardom. During an interview, Sharavopa also highlighted how this venture shines a light on female ambition that will help the world know the reality minus the stardom.
“Pretty tough” was a mentality that I held for so many years in my career, now I get to interview incredible women who have achieved amazing things in their life, and just finding out what it takes the honest conversation, not shying away from the reality of the challenges,” she said (0:38).
Sharapova has interviewed numerous guests on her podcast and continues to build conversations that give the viewers a stark glimpse into the lives of the celebrities who have backstories filled with inspiration.
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