Maria Sharapova bids 'goodbye' to tennis, announces retirement at 32

Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova announced her retirement from tennis on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. The former World No. 1 made the announcement at the age of 32 through an exclusive interview with Vanity Fair. Sharapova’s retirement comes as a shock to the entire tennis fraternity. The Russian tennis ace has thanked her fans for their support throughout her career.

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Maria Sharapova retirement: Russian tennis Ace announces retirement at 32

Maria Sharapova retirement: Former World No. 1 bids goodbye after recurring injuries

In an exclusive interview with Vanity Fair, Maria Sharapova announced her retirement from professional tennis. Sharapova’s retirement was fueled by a continued struggle with multiple shoulder injuries. She claimed that her body had become a distraction. Sharapova revealed that she would miss training and spending time on the court. She also added that she would miss her coaches and her team. Sharapova’s poor form and recurring shoulder injuries saw her drop as low as 373 in the WTA World rankings.

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Maria Sharapova retirement: Sharapova's tennis record

Maria Sharapova became an overnight sensation after bagging the 2004 Wimbledon title aged 17. The Russian ace also completed the career slam after winning all four majors in 2012. She is also an Olympic medalist, having won a silver medal in women's singles at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Sharapova was banned for 15 months in 2016 after testing positive for meldonium. Maria Sharapova had won only three matches since reaching the fourth round of 2019 Australian Open and was defeated in the first round at this year's Australian Open in Melbourne by Donna Vekic.

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Maria Sharapova retirement: Russian tennis star looking forward to spending time with family

Maria Sharapova, in her interview, said that after 28 years of playing tennis and winning five-grand slam titles, she is ready to scale new heights and compete on different terrain. Post-retirement, Maria Sharapova is looking forward to spending quality time with her family while lingering over a cup of coffee. She would also be able to have workouts of our choice.

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