"Corporate world still loves good-looking blonde girls’’ - When Chris Evert commented on Maria Sharapova leading Serena Williams in off-court earnings

Tennis legend Chris Evert once shared her perspective on Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova's off-court earnings. She touched on why the Russians enjoyed more success in endorsements because brands preferred to market a "good-looking blonde" over a Black woman. 

Evert's comments came in 2015 after the London School of Marketing ranked Sharapova 12th and Williams 20th on its list of the most marketable sports stars. The 18-time Grand Slam champion noted that Sharapova had a keen understanding of the business side of sports from a young age and actively positioned herself to build a brand.

Evert said (via The New York Times):

"I think the corporate world still loves the good-looking blonde girls. Maria was very aware of business and becoming a businesswoman at a much younger stage. She works hard."

Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams had a notable rivalry on the court, with the latter dominating their head-to-head record by a commanding 20-2 margin. She also far surpassed the Russian in Grand Slam titles, winning 23 compared to her five.

While Sharapova and Williams both secured lucrative endorsement deals during their careers, the Russian appeared to have the upper hand with high-profile partnerships with brands such as Nike, Prince, Tag Heuer, Canon, Motorola, and Colgate-Palmolive.

However, when it came to overall career earnings—both on and off the court—Williams edged ahead, amassing $340M compared to Sharapova's $325M (according to Forbes as of 2024).