Let’s walk you through Tennis Mega Star Maria Sharapova’s life and how she was named the ‘World’s Highest Paid Female Athlete’ by FORBES. Here’s all you need to know about Sharapova’s net worth, earnings, and fortunes!
Who is Maria Sharapova?
Maria Yuryevna Sharapova is a Russian former world No. 1 tennis champion. She has also participated in the WTA Tour from 2001 to 2020 and continuously bagged world No. 1 rank in the singles category by the Women’s Tennis Association and made a streak of 21 weeks. She is one of the only ten women worldwide, and the only Russian sports player till date, to achieve the Career Grand Slam.
Her Early Life
When Sharapova was only 4 years old, she first started playing Tennis. At that time, Aleksandr, who was her father’s friend, gifted her a tennis racquet which motivated Sharapova even more. History began at that point itself as Sharapova started practicing daily in a nearby park with her dad. It was the beginning of Maria Sharapova’s era in the Tennis field.
Maria started taking guidance from the famous Russian tennis instructor Yuri Yutkin. When he watched her play, Yutkin was immediately impressed and appreciated her skills. He also appreciated Maria’s hand and eye coordination, which is impeccable as compared to beginners of the game. He saw potential in Maria and recommended her to IMG Academy. So, to fulfil his daughter’s dreams, Sharapova’s father started working in many low income jobs in Florida to pay for his daughter’s training.
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Ultimately, IMG signed up for Sharapova in the year 1995 and was ready to pay her $35,000 tuition fee yearly. When Sharapova won the girls’ 16 division of the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships at the age of just 13, she gained her first taste of tennis fame and was unstoppable in the sport since then.
Professional Career
Over time, Maria Sharapova has transformed herself into one of the most well-known and accomplished tennis players and athletes in the world. About 36 WTA singles championships, including five grand slams, one year-ending title, and three WTA premier mandatory singles trophies, have been won by her till date.
She finished second in the women’s singles category in the 2012 London Olympics and got home the silver medal, which is one of the greatest achievements for any sports person.
Soon after that, Sharapova began receiving proposals for brand sponsorships. She was declared as the highest-paid female athlete in 2006 by the renowned Forbes magazine after just five years of her career.
All famous brands wanted to collaborate with Sharapova as she was one of the most loved sports stars in the world. So, naturally, many famous brands started approaching her for deals and partnerships.
Her deals and endorsements with famous high-end brands like Nike, Cannon, and Motorola significantly increased her income, net worth and fame all across the globe.
Sharapova’s Brand Endorsements
Sharapova has become the face of numerous companies and organizations throughout her career. She has also successfully created her own Nike Clothing design. She has also been the brand ambassador for many other well-known companies and brands in addition to Nike, which include Gatorade, Land Rover, Tiffany, Tropicana, and Canon.
What is Maria Sharapova’s Net Worth?
Sharapova began her professional tennis career with only 700 dollars in savings and is currently one of the highest-paid female sports stars of the world. This is a milestone for any sports person as it the fruit of years long hardwork, determination and courage. Her yearly earnings are over $16+ million, while her monthly earnings are roughly around $1.5+ million.
Some finance experts also say that Sharapova has made more money from sponsorships and brand endorsements than she has from playing tennis. This has made a shooting increase in her net worth as well, and not just her annual and monthly incomes.
Maria Sharapova’s estimated net worth is $196 million as of now, which she has accumulated through prize money, brand sponsorships, and investments in real estate in her home country Russia and also in the United States Of America.
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Real Estate and Business Owned
A collection of luxury vehicles worth $5 million belongs to the ace tennis star Maria Sharapova.
She currently resides in a $2 million property in Bradenton, Florida, in the United States with her husband and child.
Sharapova is also a co-founder of the upscale candy business Sugarpova. She co-founded the company in the year 2012. Over time, the company has expanded its product list by manufacturing and selling goods like truffles, gumballs, and chocolates.
Personal Life
Sharapova’s illustrious career came to an end after a string of losses that the player experienced. Due to a number of injuries, she decided to cancel her 2019 season of game. Sharapova told the world about her retirement in an interview with Vogue Magazine later in the month of February, 2019.
Sharapova and Sasha Vujai, who is a Slovenian professional basketball player, started dating in the year 2009 and got engaged in the year 2011. However, Sharapova revealed on August 31, 2012, that the couple had called off their engagement and got separated earlier in the same year.
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Between 2012 and 2015, Sharapova had romantic relations with famous Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov.
Business billionaire and tycoon Alexander Gilkes and Maria Sharapova have been dating since 2018. Gilkes and Sharapova made their engagement public in December 2020, and are parents to a baby boy who they welcomed on July 15, 2022.