Remember when Maria Sharapova beamed, “I have had the privilege to be associated with some of the best brands in the world, but now to be partners with Porsche, is such an amazing honor.”? That moment marked a high point in her off-court ventures after winning the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in 2012, and taking home a sleek white ‘Porsche 911’. Now, 5 years after retiring from tennis in 2020 with five GS titles, Sharapova has made headlines once again. While the tennis world grinds through the clay at Roland-Garros, she’s shifting gears entirely, unveiling a bold professional move that has nothing to do with tennis rackets, but majorly with cars. Any guesses?
Maria Sharapova, the Russian tennis icon, stepped away from the sport in February 2020 after an illustrious career spanning nearly 2 decades. Post-retirement, she’s remained a powerhouse in the business world as well, continuing her partnerships with brands like Nike and Evian, while also aligning with innovative startups such as ‘Therabody’ and ‘Tonal’. In 2012, she launched ‘Sugarpova’, her premium candy line, of which she owns 100%. Sharapova’s financial success is staggering as she earned $39 million in prize money, ranking 3rd all-time on the WTA Tour, and amassed over $300 million (pre-tax) from endorsements and business ventures throughout her career.
For 11 consecutive years, the former number one reigned as Forbes’ highest-paid female athlete, reaching a peak income of $30 million in 2015. Yet, despite her already impressive portfolio and considerable wealth, Sharapova has just taken a turn that left fans stunned.
The former Russian ace recently sparked curiosity and amusement among fans with a pair of IG stories that hinted at a surprising career twist. In one of the posts, the 37-year-old snapped a mirror selfie during what appeared to be a wellness moment, captioning it, “A little lymph drainage session. Supposed to be weekly but that’s not happening when you’re…” The thought trailed off but picked up in the next story though, where the 5-time GS champion cheekily revealed, “A part time carpool driver.”
SINGAPORE – OCTOBER 25: Maria Sharapova of Russia reacts after a three set victory againt Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in a round robin match during the BNP Paribas WTA Finals at Singapore Sports Hub on October 25, 2015 in Singapore. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
While the light-hearted comment left many wondering if she was joking, Sharapova’s love for cars is no secret among fans, especially her affinity for Porsche. The longtime brand ambassador boasts a jaw-dropping $1.4 million luxury car collection that starts with a ‘Porsche Macan’ valued at $49,900, followed by a ‘Porsche Boxster’ at $82,100. The only non-Porsche vehicle in her garage is a ‘Land Rover Range Rover’, worth around $83,400.
Her prized possessions also include the elegant ‘Porsche 911 Targa’, retailing at $102,930, and the sleek ‘911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet’ at $117,530. Sharapova’s most extravagant ride? ‘The Porsche Panamera GTS’, which costs a whopping $129,300. Yet even that pales in comparison to her crown jewel: the ‘Porsche 918 Hybrid’, for which she shelled out $845,000.
And despite her playful take on being a “carpool driver,” the notion struck fans as both humorous and odd. But has Sharapova ever hinted at shifting lanes career-wise before? Well, certainly.
Maria Sharapova teases intriguing potential career shift
Back in March this year, during an IG Q&A, Maria Sharapova was asked by a fan whether she’d ever consider stepping into a coaching role. Her response? Well, not a direct yes or no. Instead, she replied with a curious and somewhat amused, “Me??” leaving fans guessing. Though the answer wasn’t definitive, it did hint at her uncertainty, or perhaps surprise, at the suggestion.
To find clarity, we can look back at her final professional days. Sharapova played her last match in January 2020 at the AO, where she exited in the 1st round after a 6-3, 6-4 loss to Croatia’s Donna Vekić. The following month, she announced her retirement with a powerful reflection:
“Tennis—I’m saying goodbye… One of the keys to my success was that I never looked back and I never looked forward. I believed that if I kept grinding and grinding, I could push myself to an incredible place. But there is no mastering tennis—you must simply keep heeding the demands of the court while trying to quiet those incessant thoughts in the back of your mind,” she added.
Later, in a media interaction reported by The New York Times, the Russian was asked about a potential comeback. “No,” she said. “I promise everyone.” When asked if coaching was on her radar, she simply laughed, no answer needed.
Given her past comments and her latest tongue-in-cheek IG posts, including one calling herself a carpool driver, it’s safe to assume Sharapova isn’t gearing up for a coaching career or any major role change soon. But with Sharapova, you never really know what’s next.
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