Former women’s Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova recently returned to the iconic tennis club ahead of this year’s tournament, which begins on July 1.
The 37-year-old former star, known for her trademark long blonde hair, now sports a more natural brunette look. Sharapova rocketed to fame in 2004 when she defeated top seed and defending champion Serena Williams on Centre Court to win her first Grand Slam at just 17.
This victory marked her as the third-youngest woman to triumph at Wimbledon and the first Russian player to complete the career Grand Slam with wins in Melbourne, New York, Paris, and London.
After retiring from professional tennis in 2020 due to injuries, Sharapova has taken on various roles in and out of tennis. Despite her illustrious career, her final years were overshadowed by a failed drugs test in 2016.
She was suspended for two years after ingesting meldonium, a substance banned at the beginning of that year. Her suspension was later reduced to 15 months as she had taken the drug based on her doctor’s advice.
During her return to Wimbledon in a non-playing capacity, Sharapova was seen in a near all-black ensemble, a stark contrast to the traditional whites she wore during her playing days.
Her last appearance at Wimbledon as a player was in 2010, when she retired from her first-round match against Pauline Parmentier due to injury. Sharapova’s presence at Wimbledon this year brings a nostalgic reminder of her impressive career and the significant impact she had on women’s tennis.
