Over the years, former tennis professional Maria Sharapova has faced a lot of heat from critics who claim the Russian has had a certain vantage point while climbing the top of the WTA ladder owing to her superiority in having better physical features.
The 5-time Grand Slam champion’s name will forever go down in history as one of the most prestigious professionals in tennis, and she has never once ceased to amaze spectators with her stupendous gameplay.
Despite having numerous accolades to herself, Sharapova’s career hasn’t always been full of glamour. The 35-year-old has had her fair share of run-ins with people being prejudiced towards the sheer hard work that made her earn the status she has today.
Discussing issues as such, Sharapova in a one-on-one interview with Veronica Dagher, reflected on how critics have undermined her uphill battle and slammed them with her savage response when posed with the question “What do you say to people who say you only got certain contracts because you’re blonde and good-looking?”
Although the Russian had very less to add to her response, she nevertheless, made herself clear to the people judging her solely based on her physical features.
“Well, good luck. You can go to the hair stylist and get your color blonde but it takes a lot more than that. But if somebody does say that, then, I guess you could go and try it yourself. Walk the walk and don’t talk the talk. That’s something that I’ve heard many people say, but I do believe in that a lot,” quoted Sharapova.
Regardless of the criticism, Maria has manifested what the majority of the crowd can only fathom and has her pockets aligned deeply with multiple contracts and endorsements.
Maria Sharapova’s biggest endorsements and how much money she makes from them
Former world No.1 Maria Sharapova has a long list of brands signing with her due to which she made a reported income of $30 million and topped the Forbes highest-paid females list from 2006-2016.
Following her maiden Grand Slam victory when she bagged the Wimbledon title in 2004, the Russian was appointed as the brand ambassador of Motorola. She also partnered with Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer and high-end jeweler company Tiffany. Furthermore, in 2013, Sharapova signed a contract with known German automobile maker Porsche.
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When it comes to any sport, apparel, and clothing sponsorships are one of the most significant and crucial deals to sign and Sharapova didn’t lack behind that either. In 2010, she signed a deal with sporting giant Nike for a lucrative $70 million which to date stands as one of the highest deals offered to any female player.
Amidst her positive drug test in 2016 which ultimately led to a 2-year suspension, the 35-year-old was offered deals less impressive but that didn’t last long and she ultimately minted a total of $250 million in her career from endorsements alone.
