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Early Life
Maria Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987. Her parents met in a city in Ukraine called Gomel. Gomel was the site of the world's worst nuclear accident. So her parent decided to move to Nyagan, Siberia, and is the daughter of Yuri and Yelena. (imdb.com/name/nm1682495/bio) -
Scholarship
When Sharapova was younger, she visited Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy to attend but she was too young and they just wanted invite them. So at age nine earned a scholarship by doing amazing in a try-out to Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. So officially moved to Florida with her father. (https://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Ow-Sh/Sharapova-Maria.html -
Junior Wimbledon and French Open Tournaments
On Sharapova's 14th birthday, she turned into a professional. Although she was aleady a professional, she continued to play with her peers. She earned runner up in the junior Wimbledon and French Open tournaments. (https://sportytell.com/tennis/maria-sharapova-biography-facts-childhood-personal-life/) -
Her First Victory
Sharapova's first victory at the WTA (Women's Tennis Association). She also reached the fourth round at Wimbledon on her first try. The following year, she succeeded at Wimbledon on her second try, which made her the first Russian female Wimbledon champion. (https://www.biography.com/athlete/maria-sharapova) -
Sport's Top Ranking
Sharapova played at the U.S. Open at 2005. She earned her second Grand Slam Title. The Grand Slam tournaments/majors are the four most important series of yearly tennis events. (https://sportytell.com/tennis/maria-sharapova-biography-facts-childhood-personal-life/) -
3rd Grand Slam
Although Maria was slowed due to shoulder problems since the year before, she won her third Grand Slam at the Australian Open. She was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff. So that October, she had surgery which pushed her out of the Top 100. (https://www.biography.com/athlete/maria-sharapova) -
Complete Grand Slam
Maria has healed by the time she decided to play at the French Open. She was then the 7th woman in the Open era to complete a career Grand Slam. That same year, she succeeded and earned a silver medal in the London Olympic Games. (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maria-Sharapova) -
Tennis Suspension
Sharapova had taken meldonium, which had been banned 3 months later. She did not know it was banned and the word got out. The International Tennis Federation stated that she would be banned from tennis for two years, but was reduced to 15 months later on. (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maria-Sharapova)
