Maria Sharapova was one of the world’s most marketable athletes in her prime, although many tennis fans may struggle to pick her out of a crowd these days after her retirement
Maria Sharapova was arguably one of the world’s most recognizable sports stars, but she has changed her look in retirement.
Sharapova shocked the world by winning Wimbledon as a teenager in 2004, aged 17. Her victory over Lindsey Davenport marked the start of a storied career which ended after the 2020 Australian Open.
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During her illustrious prime, the tennis ace also won two French Open titles, the U.S. Open and Australian Open. However, despite once being considered among the world’s most marketable sportspeople, fans may now need a second glance to recognize the tennis icon.
Sharapova retired from tennis five years ago and has since changed her trademark blonde hair to a darker color. Making the switch to brunette a few years ago, Sharapova looks considerably different from her tennis heyday.
She has shared multiple snaps of her sporting brown locks on social media. Her latest Instagram posts include red carpet appearances, photoshoots and brand endorsements.
The Russian’s legendary sporting career saw her retire with $38.7 million earned from tournament prize money. However, Sharapova has also enjoyed further success away from the tennis court due to her endorsement deals and various business ventures.
It is estimated that Sharapova made $311M through her sponsorship deals, as per The Mirror, which included the likes of Nike and Porsche. From 2006 to 2016, Forbes listed Sharapova as the world’s highest-earning sportswoman.
She was awarded the title of ‘hottest athlete in the world’ by Maxim magazine for four consecutive years at the height of her fame. In 2006, she also posed in a bikini photoshoot in the Valentine’s Day issue of Sports Illustrated.
Since retiring, Sharapova has become a mother. She is engaged to British businessman Alexander Gilkes and the couple welcomed their son Theodore in July 2022.