"Serena Williams & Maria Sharapova changed the narrative of an athlete": Andrea Petkovic on duo breaking the taboo of pursuing interests beyond tennis
Andrea Petkovic has credited Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova for leading the way in exploring interests outside tennis. The German emphasized that the duo set an example for other players to follow.
Since stepping away from professional tennis in 2022, Petkovic has become a regular in the commentary box and on tennis podcasts and frequently shares her insights on Substack. However, there was a time when the German felt the need to avoid talking about her other passions like writing, and focus only on playing tennis.
During a recent appearance on The AO Show podcast, Andrea Petkovic disclosed that it was once "frowned upon" for players to have multiple interests while competing on tour until Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova broke the taboo.
"When I started it was kind of frowned upon to have multiple interests and I really think Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams changed all that. I think they were the first ones. I’ve always had my interests and my hobbies and my books, my writings and all these other things but I would almost not talk about it because I thought I have to be focused on what I do, playing tennis," Petkovic said.
The German highlighted Williams' accomplishment of getting certified as a nail technician and Sharapova establishing her own confectionary brand Sugarpova, emphasizing that their influence extended even beyond tennis and reshaped the idea of what an athlete could be.
Petkovic also admitted that witnessing their success made her feel more at ease about discussing her own interests. She asserted that these pursuits didn't distract from her game but rather provided her with mental strength.
"And Maria and Serena kind of brought the narrative to another level where they were like, 'No, I do design furniture and I’m a nail specialist in Serena and I am a businesswoman in Maria,'" she said.
"They changed the narrative of an athlete in general, not only tennis players. And it was okay to do other things. And I felt much more comfortable after that to talk about the things that I had and I always saw it as an add-on not a takeaway to my game. Something that can strengthen me mentally and not take away from me mentally," she added.
"It sets you up for a career after tennis; you see it with Serena Williams, you see it with Maria Sharapova" - Andrea Petkovic
Continuing the discussion, Andrea Petkovic took satisfaction in dedicating time to her writing during her playing days, emphasizing that having outside passions while competing allowed players to set themselves up for life beyond the sport.
Petkovic pointed out that Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova had benefited similarly, as evidenced by Williams recently launching her makeup brand WYN Beauty and the Russian often making headlines for her investment ventures and endorsement deals.
"Which also now I am grateful for, it sets you up for a career after tennis. You see it with Serena, you see it with Maria and for me in a much smaller way as well, you don’t fall into a hole after tennis like, 'What am I supposed to do with my life?' You kind of land on your feet and find another path if you’ve already tried a few things out while you were still playing," Petkovic said.
Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova also share a love for fashion, often crossing paths on red carpets and at fashion shows. Earlier this year, the duo joyously reunited at the Met Gala.