Maria Sharapova Wants to Define Female Ambition in Her ‘Pretty Tough’ Podcast: “Women Can Be More Than One Thing”
Maria Sharapova also opened up about her dynamics with her old rival Serena Williams.
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Maria Sharapova (Image via WTA Tour)
- Maria Sharapova has launched a podcast titled 'Pretty Tough' to highlight women's stories in sports.
- The podcast aims to challenge stereotypes that women must choose between being tough and elegant.
- Sharapova reflects on her career and the importance of breaking down misconceptions about female ambition.
Maria Sharapova has started a new chapter in her life. She has launched her new podcast, ‘Pretty Tough,’ and during The Daily Show, she talked about the reason behind starting the podcast. Sharapova has already interviewed Zoe Saldana, Jeanie Buss, and Chelsea Handler.
Sharapova wants to tell women’s stories. She knows that the hosts of many top sports podcasts are men, which is why she wanted to build something that would ensure women’s stories are not ignored.
The name of the podcast, ‘Pretty Tough’ also has a meaning. Being a part of the sporting world, Sharapova knows that women are expected to look a certain way and, at the same time, be tough while competing.
Well, it’s the juxtaposition of being that gritty, leading a team, but also being elegant and being vulnerable and being soft and being motherly. And those two can coexist at the same time. I often had to choose one or the other by the press and by the media and by, occasionally, friends and family. But especially now, with being a mother and having friends that have children, we also face similar– I felt like they could really relate to the concept and the subject.
Maria Sharapova said on The Daily Show
Sharapova burst onto the scene in 2004 when she defeated old foe Serena Williams at Wimbledon. And since then, she has only experienced stardom across the world. After calling time on her career in February 2020, the 39-year-old was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year.
For much of my career, I heard that I couldn’t be gritty on the court and graceful off it. Women are constantly faced with sceptics trying to put them in a box. Pretty Tough is about breaking down the misconception that women can’t be more than one thing: Elegant and enterprising, pretty and tough.
Maria Sharapova said on Instagram
The former World No.1 hung up her racket after lifting five Grand Slam titles. She also reached the final of the 2012 London Olympics and lost the gold medal to Williams.
Maria Sharapova was nervous to call Serena Williams before her Hall of Fame ceremony
Maria Sharapova recently sat down for an interview with Gayle King at the Time100 Summit in New York City, during which she talked about the dynamic between herself and Serena Williams. King asked the five-time Grand Slam champion why she chose the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion to induct her into the Hall of Fame. Sharapova said she was hesitant at first to call, thinking what if Williams doesn’t pick up.
So I texted her. She calls me right away. We spoke for over an hour. We didn’t even touch upon the Hall of Fame until the last 5 minutes. We talked about our careers, our lives, our children, our businesses. So at the end of it, I was like, ‘Oh, by the way, would you induct me into the Tennis Hall of Fame?’
Williams interviewed Sharapova and took notes. At that time, nobody, including Sharapova’s father, knew who was sitting next to her because she wanted it to be a big surprise. Although Sharapova and Williams shared fierce rivalry, the latter dominated her in their head-to-head matchups. Williams held a 20-2 head-to-head lead over the Russian.
Williams hung up her racket at the 2022 US Open. But because she entered the drug testing pool last year, it has started speculations about her potential comeback. Williams, however, has neither accepted nor denied the rumors, and even her sister, Venus Williams, chose to remain tight-lipped about the same.
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