Tennis star Maria Sharapova, winner of five Grand Slam tournaments, announced Wednesday that she is ending her career in a column published by fashion magazines Vogue and Vanity Fair . "Tennis - I bid you farewell," wrote the 32-year-old Russian. "After 28 years and five Grand Slam titles, I am ready to climb another mountain on a different terrain," added the former world No. 1, whose career was marred by a 15-month suspension for doping at spring 2016.
One of the rare champions to have won all Grand Slam tournaments
The Russian, down to 373rd in the world, remained on four consecutive defeats, including eliminations in the first rounds of the 2019 US Open against Serena Williams and the 2020 Australian Open against the Croatian Donna Vekic, her last match. "Throughout my career, 'Is it worth it?' has never been a question. Lately, it has always been, "wrote the Russian, whose last few years on the courts have been wounded by injuries.
She remains one of the very few champions to have won the four major tournaments: Wimbledon in 2004, the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and Roland-Garros twice, in 2012 and then in 2014.