From the baseline to the boardroom — Maria Sharapova's most powerful, inspiring, and unforgettable words.
"I think about what I need to do at this moment, not what I've done in the past and not what might happen in the future. In tennis, the only moment that matters is this point."
I am not afraid of putting in the work. People see the trophies — they don't see the ten thousand hours behind them.
I never look at the opponent. I look at the ball. The ball is the only thing that matters during a point.
My father had $700 when we arrived in America. That $700 represented everything — it was his belief in me. I've never taken a single opportunity for granted since.
When things go wrong, when you're down, that's when you discover what you're made of. I've been down. I know what I'm made of.
The moment you step on the court, nothing else exists. Your problems, your fears, what happened yesterday — none of it. Just the ball.
Tennis taught me how to compete. Business is just another competition — but this one never ends, and I love that about it.
I'm new to this, so please forgive me if I begin with a few words I've never used before: I'm retiring from tennis. How do you leave behind the only life you've ever known?
There are moments when I thought I would never make it back. But I have a very simple philosophy: get up one more time than you fall down.
I was never the fastest, never the most naturally gifted. But I outworked everyone. Every. Single. Day.
Tennis showed me the world, and what I'm capable of. It showed me the highest peaks and the most gruelling valleys. It put me where I am today.
I don't believe in work-life balance. When something matters to you, you give it everything. That's how I approached tennis. That's how I approach everything.
The people who say you can't do something are almost never the ones who have tried hardest. I took that as motivation every single day.
At 17 years old, I had no idea what Wimbledon meant to history. I just wanted to win. Sometimes not knowing the weight of the moment helps you carry it.
A champion is not defined by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall. I fell many times. The falling never gets easier. The getting up does.
Harvard Business School taught me to think differently about risk, about people, about markets. It confirmed what tennis already knew: preparation is everything.
People said clay would never suit my game. I used that as fuel. 2012 Roland Garros was for every person who doubted me on clay.