The rivalry between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova is based on…
Some rivalries originate from a mutual greatness that raises the bar for both players. Others, like the one between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, are founded on mistrust, mutual antagonism, and the sporadic flash of ill will.
Maria Sharapova vs. Serena Williams live In their semifinal match on Thursday, animosity that dates back eleven years to Sharapova’s breakthrough victory on Center Court as a seventeen-year-old and includes a barrage of scathing personal jabs, will be reignited. The two most powerful players in women’s tennis might have a thrilling match, even before you take into account the expected decibel level readings.
However, their domination isn’t limited to one area. There is not much of a comparison on court. Sharapova has five grand slam titles to Williams’ twenty, two shy of Steffi Graf’s record. Even more terrible reading is their head-to-head record. Williams has a 16-0 record against Sharapova since 2005; in their 12 prior meetings, Sharapova has only won one set. The 33-year-old’s dominance is so great that it is referred to as the “un-rivalry” in several American newspapers.
But Sharapova, 28, is without a doubt the victor in the business sphere. Williams trails the Russian in off-court earnings despite having nearly twice as much career prize money. With an estimated yearly income of $29.7 million (roughly £19.3 million), Sharapova is the highest paid female athlete in the world. She has a phalanx of sponsors, including Evian, Tag Heuer, and her own candy brand, Sugarpova. Williams is ranked 21 places lower on Forbes’ unisex list.
A Rolling Stone reporter overheard Williams talking to her sister Venus about another top female tennis player in 2013, adding a nasty twist to the already simmering mixture of jealousy and hatred. She often starts each interview by saying, ‘I’m so delighted.'” It’s so boring, but I’m so lucky,” Williams remarked. She will still not receive an invitation to the hip parties. Hey, she should go ahead and date the guy with the dark heart if that’s what she wants.
The first instinct was that Grigor Dimitrov, who had recently begun dating Sharapova and had allegedly dated Williams in the past, was the owner of the mysterious black heart. In an attempt to minimize the harm, Williams simultaneously apologized to Sharapova and made a denial. “I made it my mission to get in touch with Maria because the reporter’s assumptions unintentionally put her in danger.”
Following their Tuesday quarterfinal wins, both players attempted to hide their genuine emotions behind the customary string of platitudes, though Sharapova appeared oblivious to their shared past.
