The talented Russian who broke headlines at the age of 17 is saying goodbye to the sport
I grew up in a world where sports was dominated by men. And admittedly, it still is in many ways today. But because of a few female athletes who was able to pierce through the male-led profession, more and more girls are encouraged to do the same.
Two days ago, tennis fans across the globe were met with news that admittedly wasn't so shocking: Maria Sharapova is retiring. Sadly, we all saw this one coming. Her glory days were long over and the 32-year-old knows it more than anyone else. From a shoulder injury that kept on hounding her on every match, to a 15-month long ban due to the use of an illegal substance, Sharapova found it hard to continue fighting for a spot in the world of tennis.
But before her career dwindled, Sharapova was once one of the brightest stars in the court.