Serena Williams Was Not the Scariest Opponent for Maria Sharapova

By: Ujan Chakraborty Image Credit: Twitter

[{"selector":"#anim-c8f6f8c9-ffff-4158-8acf-00bbd6bc2266 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(15.753017244203228%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-831b1fb6-02ce-42c8-83cb-4dcd0f50bff1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ff09ecf-7904-435d-9ca8-c8d1b6cdc22b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-118.66666%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7bcfdc9f-ba83-4d3b-9183-f1094c77969a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-08f87771-931d-47fc-902f-be5e769ad1e1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-303.84615%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Is there anyone else on the circuit who could provide Maria Sharapova, the five-time Grand Slam champion, with strong competition other than Serena Williams?

[{"selector":"#anim-726148af-d62c-4a58-a743-2d18febcc8f9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-8.143554333170638%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2211be94-aa74-45af-8f27-42506caa7890","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d5fc9973-5376-4929-9e17-e62d4bcab091","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-129.84496%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Maria Sharapova says that facing this player would’ve been a nightmare in her career.

[{"selector":"#anim-a61abba7-2b28-4c68-82d7-1f510946da89 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(17.056715223033837%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8a4beff4-aba0-4bcd-aa4b-803dc97b18ae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0d834808-57a5-484b-b1fb-cf7b484d3984","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.70492%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ad669fc5-3c1f-48c5-9395-e0c7359561a9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-89c2599d-389a-4825-ad88-b035eaa86287","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130.66202%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] After 3 years of retirement, the Russian great recently admitted that, if she had been still competing on the WTA Tour, she could have found it challenging to compete against one of the current top 10 tennis players.

[{"selector":"#anim-20402fda-cc18-4691-b9ca-f2f8af075a6c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(10.796954882214111%, -20.778043944334975%) scale(1.4166666666666667)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f6a95268-fd23-4e9d-9d57-aa93cd1b3333","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd35bdf4-0c29-4a41-b6fd-227ac231a281","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.61342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1031d9bb-2283-4407-90e3-e92acf1a3fa0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4662c762-f384-485a-a45e-a0cec872c0d4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-177.47748%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Maria appeared in the Netflix documentary "Breakpoint," where she praised Ons Jabeur, a Tunisian star and finalist at Wimbledon in 2022. The 35-year-old said, "Looking at her method of play, it would be a nightmare to play against her."

[{"selector":"#anim-c83f6d65-9973-43ec-85f1-ebbfcd00a721 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(13.981688237093934%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fdb01e7c-7190-461b-bfea-c275042aa708","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fc32a83c-192e-431d-9e90-dd9d7eb58eb1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.28105%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c1b45250-3151-4c43-8a84-39dd72826950","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c82bc5fd-112e-4fd4-8c4b-f179c9ba6c19","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-49.82578%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] "When I look at Ons, I don't think I would have paired up well against her, said Maria. She was a nightmare opponent to play against. Thank goodness I'm retired because, It really would give me nightmares.", said Maria.

[{"selector":"#anim-df78f9fc-0156-4144-8f1a-e111855c4dbc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-12.394577680450851%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3e465cd8-c993-45fa-baff-45790c5b481f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-30734091-d677-4747-b9d2-a907a2efd7e5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-118.95425%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea8d389f-ce93-44cf-b71c-b5ac0c4636ca","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-72b32eab-254f-4359-95a7-f13d04bfbd22","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-73.53362%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In addition, Sharapova said she was amazed by the Tunisian tennis star, Jabeur, who faced several obstacles to emerge as a well-known tennis player.

[{"selector":"#anim-a126d8c2-977c-442e-a009-65bef16b3869 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-16.40486623361854%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-28769afc-8cfc-4aa8-9c98-a560f0ca6120","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b6e9f0b5-88e7-4d40-aca0-dd8918f38cd4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-120.27027%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] This is not the first time Maria has discussed her rival. In the past, when the tennis player was still extremely active on the court, there was one tennis legend whom she regarded as her most terrible rival.

[{"selector":"#anim-dc5ca67f-c0d0-475f-982e-dd87128295e3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-19.881394177166833%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-888d4595-294b-469c-a1a8-a15e0b97ab66","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a1f7eb32-7b77-4c5c-ab69-c767b5e43a08","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.79935%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Maria fought many formidable rivals over her successful tennis career. However, the Russian star revealed in a podcast last year who her toughest and most ominous opponent had ever been.

Serena Williams Was Not the Scariest Opponent for Maria Sharapova

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