Maria Sharapova Shares Her Likes, Loves, And Life Lessons
Five-time Grand Slam tennis champion, former women’s world No.1, and Olympic medalist Maria Sharapova also has her own confection line, Sugarpova. Bazaar Arabia receives a court-side spot during her Dubai visit for the opening of The Bay Health Club
Name: Maria Sharapova.
Nationality: Russian.
Job title: Tennis Champion & Entrepreneur.
What are you proudest of? My resilience and adaptability. I’ve always had a “never say die” attitude and a willingness to grow and evolve in order to meet the moment. That has led to some of the most exceptional moments of my career such as winning the French Open, despite famously saying I felt “like a cow on ice” when I played on clay.
What does success mean to you? Giving complete effort, day-in and day-out, in
relentless pursuit of improvement. I truly believe that when you give your all to something with consistency, tangible results always follow.
What would you tell your younger self? Approach challenges as an opportunity, rather than a hindrance. Some of the biggest roadblocks in your career will end up becoming chances to learn, grow, and expose yourself to new things that will prove useful in life beyond tennis.
What inspires you most about what you do? I’m lucky to be working across many different fields – business, design, wellness, media… I learn something new in everything I do, and it is often from someone who is truly an expert in their field. I am very grateful to have opportunities to learn and grow every day.
What is your motto? “One BABY STEP at a TIME”
What book changed your life? I enjoy reading autobiographies. I wrote mine with Rich Cohen after reading his book When I Stop Talking, You’ ll Know I’m Dead by Jerry Weintraub. I probably wouldn’t have written it if I didn’t have confidence in the team that would help bring my life and voice to paper.
Who are your heroes? My parents. My mum has been such a guiding force in my life, and my dad really instilled in me the importance of hard work, discipline, and self-belief.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I can be quite stubborn, and while I think it served me well during certain points of my tennis career, I also think it got me into trouble sometimes. I tried so hard at the tail end of my career to get back in peak form and to be completely injury-free, but it just wasn’t realistic. There’s beauty in perseverance, but there’s also beauty in letting go and moving forward when the time is right. That’s true for sports, but I’ve found that it also applies to many other things in life as well.
What would you ban if you had the chance? Plastic.
What’s your greatest extravagance? Antique furniture and lighting. I enjoy spending time at the markets and finding unique pieces that can complement spaces in a home.
What’s your most treasured possession? My most treasured possessions are always the ones with sentimental value. One that comes to mind is the pair of pearl Tiffany & Co. earrings my mom and I splurged on after I won Wimbledon in 2004. I’ve held onto them for all these years, and even wore them to my Hall of Fame induction this summer.
What did your last Spotify Wrapped look like? It was heavy on FLORENCE & the Machine, Raye, and The Lumineers.
What experience taught you most about life? Navigating my shoulder injury is certainly up there. After several injuries and surgeries – in an attempt to get me back to peak form – I came away with a different level of mobility and strength than ever before. I couldn’t be the same player I once was physically – my serve was never the same – and so I had to learn to reinvent my game to match my new circumstances. That was a huge challenge both physically and mentally, but it taught me so much about my inner strength, resilience, and adaptability.
If you could only wear one brand for the rest of your life, what would it be? Gabriela Hearst.
Compiled by Kyra Kewalramani
Image Supplied
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia January 2026 Issue