"She's not going to be invited to the cool parties" - When Serena Williams suggested Maria Sharapova had a boring side to her
Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova were fierce rivals despite the one-sided nature of their rivalry. The two locked horns 22 times, with the American leading 20-2 in the head-to-head.
Back in 2013, Serena Williams spoke to Rolling Stone magazine, where she touched upon Sharapova. She claimed that Sharapova started her interviews in a boring manner and that the Russian was dating a guy with a black heart, allegedly referring to Grigor Dimitrov.
“She begins every interview with ‘I’m so happy. I’m so lucky’ - it’s so boring. She’s still not going to be invited to the cool parties. And, hey, if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it," Williams said.
Maria Sharapova responded to Serena Williams' statements during Wimbledon 2013 by claiming that the American should talk about her own success rather than other people.
She also took a dig at Williams by suggesting that she was dating her coach at the time, Patrick Mouratoglou.
"I have a great deal of respect for Serena and for what she managed to win. However, I think she should talk about her successes, rather than the whole rest," Sharapova said.
"If she wants to talk about something personal she could tell us about the relationship with a man who once divorced and who now also has a daughter. She could tell us this and not things that don't concern her," she added.
Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova locked horns four times in 2013
Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova faced each other four times in 2013, and the former came out on top on each occasion. The first meeting between the two that season was in the semifinals of the Qatar Open, where Williams triumphed 6-3, 6-2.
Their second encounter came in the final of the Miami Open. Sharapova started well and won the opening set but Williams roared back and won the next two sets 6-3, 6-0 to win the WTA 1000 event for the sixth time in her career.
The two then met in the title clash of the Madrid Open, where the American won 6-1, 6-4 to successfully defend her title at the clay-court event.
Their last meeting in 2013 came in that year's French Open final. Williams won 6-4, 6-4 to win her first title at the claycourt Major since 2002.