"My shoes have 18 carat gold specs, it shines unbelievably, hopefully can distract my opponents" - When Maria Sharapova discussed her Wimbledon outfit
Maria Sharapova once detailed the intricacies of her outfit for the 2005 Wimbledon Championships.
Sharapova entered that year's Championships as the second seed and defending champion. A year ago, she had stunned two-time defending champion Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4 in the final at just 17.
Ahead of her title defense, the Russian shed light on the outfit she would don for the fortnight. Adhering to Wimbledon's all-white tradition, Sharapova disclosed that her Nike outfit featured a subtle pop of color with orange details on the dress.
She also touched on her shoes, sharing that they were adorned with 18-carat gold embellishments on the side, which gave off an unbelievable shine. She humorously expressed her hope that the eye-catching shoes would distract her opponents during matches.
"Yeah, it's -- how do I explain the dress? I would say it's a summer dress. It has orange details on it. It has a pleated skirt on the bottom. It's pretty covered on top. But the pleated skirt gives it a lot of wave. It's perfect for the weather - if we keep this weather," Maria Sharapova said in a pre-tournament press conference.
"My shoes have 18 carat gold specs on the side of the shoes. That's something totally different. But it shines unbelievably. Hopefully (it) can distract my opponents a little bit (smiling). And my cover-up, it's sort of a cloak, has gold details and a gold zipper," she added.
After a journalist expressed an interest in purchasing a similar pair for himself, Maria Sharapova clarified that they were not for sale. However, she estimated that they would likely retail for approximately $600 or $900.
"I really don't think they're for sale (laughter). I think they're about $600 or $900, something like that," she said.
Looking back at Maria Sharapova's campaign at Wimbledon 2005
Maria Sharapova made a strong start to her Wimbledon campaign, claiming a 6-2, 6-2 win over Nuria Llagostera Vives. She then beat Sesil Karatantcheva in dominant fashion, winning 6-0, 6-1.
The Russian continued her commanding run against Katarina Srebotnik, winning 6-2, 6-4. She advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Nathalie Dechy.
Sharapova progressed to the semifinals without dropping a set, beating Nadia Petrova 7-6(3), 6-3. However, her campaign ended in the last-four, with Venus Williams claiming a 7-6(2), 6-1 win. Williams went on to win the Wimbledon 2005 title, beating compatriot Lindsay Davenport 4-6, 7-6(4), 9-7 in the final.