Maria Sharapova: From Blonde Tennis Champion to Brunette Business Mom (Explained Simply)

Meet Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova is a lady from Russia who used to play tennis really well. She is now 39 years old. She stopped playing tennis professionally in 2020. Back in her playing days, she was one of the biggest names in the sport – like a superhero of the tennis court!

Her Surprising New Look

When she was playing, Maria was famous for her bright blonde hair. But after she retired, she changed her hair color to brown (brunette). Fans were super surprised! They said she looked "unrecognisable" – like a totally different person.

• She first showed her new brown hair at a fancy party in Italy.
• The party was for the 60th anniversary of a hotel called Hotel Il Pellicano in Monte Argentario.
• She was there with her British boyfriend (now fiancé) named Alex Gilkes.

Important: Maria became a star as a teenager when she beat Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2004. That win was almost as famous as her blonde hair! (She won that match 6‑1, 6‑4.)

Maria’s Tennis Wins (Like Collecting Trophies)

Maria won all the biggest tennis tournaments, called Grand Slams (these are the four most important yearly contests). Here’s a simple numbered list of her big wins:

1. Wimbledon 2004 – She beat Serena Williams and became the third‑youngest woman ever to win there.
2. US Open 2006 – Another big trophy from the USA.
3. Australian Open 2008 – She won in Australia.
4. French Open 2012 and 2014 – She also was runner‑up (second place) in 2013.

She also won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics (she lost to Serena Williams in the final).

Special record: Maria was the first Russian person ever to win all four Grand Slams in her career – that’s called a "career Grand Slam."

More Cool Stuff Off the Court

Maria wasn’t just good at tennis; she was also famous in other ways:

• A magazine called Maxim named her the "hottest athlete in the world" for four years in a row.
• A money magazine (Forbes) listed her as one of the top 100 most powerful famous people from 2005 to 2011.
• She modeled for a famous sports magazine called Sports Illustrated.

A Tricky Moment: The Ban

In 2016, Maria had a problem. She took a medicine called meldonium that was not allowed by the sports rules. She got a ban (not allowed to play) for 15 months (at first they said 2 years).

• She said it was an accident: she was following her doctor’s advice and didn’t know the medicine was on the WADA banned list (WADA is just the group that decides which substances are illegal in sports).
• She accepted the mistake but said it wasn’t on purpose.

Life After Tennis: Family and Money

Since she stopped playing, Maria enjoys a fancy life:

• Her boyfriend Alex Gilkes proposed in December 2020.
• They had a baby boy named Theodore in July 2022. Maria’s Instagram now proudly says "Mama."
• She earned about £31 million from tennis prizes.

Her Business Adventures

Maria is also smart with companies:

• She started her own candy brand called Sugarpova.
• She invested in a sunscreen company called supergoop while still playing.
• After retiring, she joined more businesses:
  • Supporting a wellness company called therabody.
  • Became a director at a fashion house called Moncler in 2022.
  • Advises brands Naked Retail and Bright.
  • Owns shares (tiny ownership pieces) in companies like UFC, Tonal, Public.com, Moonpay, and Clio Snacks.

A Note From the Original Article (Promotions)

The original story also mentioned some extras from the newspaper:

• Join on Facebook: The Daily Star asked readers to follow their Facebook page for sports news.
• Gold Star Subscription: The Daily Star has a paid club called Gold Star. For about £1.99 a month or £12 a year, you get fewer ads, special articles, offers, and fun news picks. (This is just an ad, not about Maria.)

Summary

Maria Sharapova was a super famous tennis player from Russia who won all four Grand Slams and an Olympic silver medal. She retired in 2020, changed from blonde to brunette hair, became a mom to Theodore, and now runs many businesses. Though she had a small ban for a medicine mistake, she remains a legend and a successful businesswoman.

FAQ

Q1: What is a Grand Slam in tennis?
A: It’s one of the four biggest annual tournaments: Wimbledon, US Open, Australian Open, and French Open. Winning all four in a career is called a career Grand Slam.

Q2: Why did Maria Sharapova change her hair?
A: She just decided to try a new look after retiring! She dyed her blonde hair brown and fans were shocked because she looked so different.

Q3: Did Maria do something wrong with drugs?
A: In 2016 she took a medicine (meldonium) that was banned by sports rules. She said it was an accident because her doctor told her to take it and she didn’t know it was banned. She got a 15‑month timeout from tennis.

Q4: What does Maria do now besides being a mom?
A: She runs her candy brand Sugarpova, is a director at Moncler, advises other companies, and invests in many businesses.

Q5: How much money did she make from tennis?
A: She earned around £31 million in prize money, but she also makes money from her businesses.