5 matches that defined Maria Sharapova's career ft. Wimbledon 2004 final against Serena Williams
Maria Sharapova left her mark on tennis with her numerous achievements. She won five Major titles and is one of 10 women to complete a career Grand Slam. She also reigned as the World No. 1 for 21 weeks and won a silver medal at the Olympics.
Sharapova was one of the biggest stars on the WTA Tour during her playing days, and courts considerable media attention even after her retirement in 2020. She was famous for her competitiveness, and her dogged desire to win found her snatching victory from the jaws of defeat from time to time.
Numerous matches capture the essence of Sharapova's career since her debut. However, a few stand out due to their significance, and here are five matches that encapsulate her legacy:
#5 - Maria Sharapova vs Simona Halep, US Open 2017 R1
Sharapova received a two-year ban in 2016 after testing positive for the banned substance 'Meldonium.' It was later reduced to 15 months and she was eligible to resume playing in April 2017. She wasn't welcomed to the tour with open arms, with many players arguing against her comeback.
Halep was one such player. So when the two were drawn to play against each other in the first round of the US Open 2017, the first Major of the Russian's comeback, it was a highly anticipated showdown. Sharapova had won all six of their previous encounters.
However, with Sharapova having a 6-3 record before their date in New York, many pegged the second-ranked Halep to come out on top this time. That wasn't the case as the Russian maintained her supremacy in this rivalry with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win.
It was the biggest win of Sharapova's comeback, and her only win over a top 10 player that year. Despite the off-court drama and what her opponents had said about her, the Russian's single-minded focus on the task at hand displayed why she became a tour de force in the sport.
#4 - Maria Sharapova vs Amelie Mauresmo, US Open 2006 SF
Mauresmo was at the height of her career in 2006, having won the Australian Open and Wimbledon. She had also proved to be a thorn in Sharapova's side as she won their first three career meetings.
After losing her first two matches against Mauresmo in straight sets, Sharapova pushed her to three sets when they crossed paths at Wimbledon in 2006. A few months later, the two found themselves face-to-face yet again, this time in the semifinals of the US Open.
Sharapova made a statement by winning the opening set 6-0 but Mauresmo dug deep to take the second set. However, there was no stopping the Russian, who emphatically finished the match with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-0 win. Her determination to improve helped her finally beat her rival, and she later beat Justine Henin in the final to win the title as well.
#3 - Maria Sharapova vs Ana Ivanovic, Australian Open 2008 final
Sharapova had gotten consistently close to winning the Australian Open from the mid-2000s. She made the semifinals in 2005 and 2006 and advanced to the final in 2007. She was routed in the final 6-1, 6-2 by Serena Williams despite being the favorite to win the title.
However, Sharapova wasn't haunted by her crushing loss when she returned to Melbourne a year later. She was in red-hot form in 2008 and got another shot at the title by advancing to the final for the second year in a row.
The Russian took on Ivanovic for the title and beat her 7-5, 6-3 to capture her third Major title. Sharapova didn't drop a set throughout the tournament and beat three top 10 players to claim the title, including a 6-4, 6-0 win over World No. 1 Henin. The win only drove home the fact that her ability to overcome disappointing losses was one of her biggest strengths.
#2 - Maria Sharapova vs Sara Errani, French Open 2012 final
Sharapova famously described herself as a "cow on ice" when it came to clay. She had a lone semifinal appearance at the French Open until 2010 and had won only two WTA 250 titles on the surface.
However, all that changed in 2011, when Sharapova won the Italian Open, one of the most prestigious tournaments on clay. She also made the last four at the French Open a few weeks later. This marked the beginning of her career renaissance on the surface.
Sharapova defended her Italian Open crown the following year and advanced to the final of the French Open for the first time. She dropped only one set en route to the championship round and faced clay court specialist Errani for the title.
Sharapova scored a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 win over Errani to win the French Open for the first time and complete a career Grand Slam. It marked her first Major title since the Australian Open 2008, and she also regained the World No. 1 ranking. She cemented her position as one of the all-time greats with a long-overdue victory in Paris.
#1 - Maria Sharapova vs Serena Williams, Wimbledon 2004 final
Sharapova's career-defining moment came at the start of her career. Competing in her second season on the tour, she advanced to her maiden Major final at Wimbledon 2004, where she faced two-time defending champion Williams.
Many felt that Sharapova, just 17 years old at that time, didn't have a shot at upstaging the established Williams. However, she stunned the American to win her first Grand Slam title with a 6-1, 6-4 scoreline. The victory made her an overnight sensation and would ensure a media frenzy until the day she retired.
The win also kicked off a fierce rivalry with Williams, which became a major storyline of their careers and also on the WTA Tour. Sharapova's impressive victory over Williams at Wimbledon remains one of the most memorable moments in tennis and a match that changed the course of her career and the sport.