Five grand slam titles was a decent haul for a player renowned for fighting spirit on the court and Hollywood glamour off it
Fittingly, Maria Sharapova said goodbye to tennis on Wednesday in the pages of not one but two fashion magazines, a self-penned “essay” that allowed no scrutiny but invited a mixture of awe and sympathy.
The 32-year-old Russian, who won five slams and could freeze a room with her aloof grandeur, will be remembered as the ice queen of tennis, respected more than loved inside the game. She nonetheless was a media darling from the moment she beat Serena Williams to win Wimbledon when only 17 until the fading days of her career when meaningful victories for the world No 373 were distant memories. It is a testament to her extraordinary clout in the sport that she invariably was given centre stage in big tournaments, even though her best days were long gone. Sharapova, who won 36 titles and earned $38.7m in a career blighted by injury, never challenged Williams for dominance, although she fought for every point in a fruitless rivalry in which the American won 20 of their 22 matches.
Related: 'I'm saying goodbye': Maria Sharapova announces tennis retirement
Related: Maria Sharapova: her career in pictures
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