Maria Sharapova with Andrea Petkovic

00:00:15
Speaker 1: Well, thank you so much for doing this little chat. Of course, of course I'm really excited. It's very strange being interviewed by you.

00:00:22
Speaker 2: I mean we were like the opposition and like playing against each other, so that.

00:00:26
Speaker 1: We are kind of on the same team. We're on the same team. Yes, that strange, the retired team. Do you like having me on your team or no?

00:00:36
Speaker 2: I absolutely love it? Okay, good, well we It all depends on this interview, it does.

00:00:42
Speaker 1: I have my notes. Let's see how it goes. You mentioned your partnership with Evan and I want to get into it. But I think we are here as kind of the coolest watch party to have ever that ever existed.

00:00:55
Speaker 2: Yeah, like the coolest watch party.

00:00:58
Speaker 1: This is the coolest watch already that has ever existed.

00:01:01
Speaker 2: We're going to see the Statue of Liberty and all the bridges.

00:01:05
Speaker 1: What can possibly be better? What could go wrong? What can go wrong?

00:01:09
Speaker 2: So much?

00:01:12
Speaker 1: But I have to say, Maria, we don't get to see you so much at tennis tournaments anymore, but we did see you yesterday.

00:01:18
Speaker 2: Yes, during the I couldn't miss that. I couldn't miss that. I just didn't you make it. I felt like it was a match that would you know, seeing Coco on that stage and all the expectations from the beginning of the tournament, I didn't think it was the highest quality of match because there was so much nerves. I think on on both sides, I was so happy to see Cocoa when I've been saying it for years, I think she has the ability to transcend the sport into so many bridging entertainment and sport and culture and fashion. She's got such a great voice, and she's and and most importantly, she's an amazing competitor, which is just like this full pack. And it came together for her in New York City, so I wanted to be there.

00:02:05
Speaker 1: And how you won your first Grand Slam title when you were very young, even younger than Coco seventeen, and then you repeated it here two thousand and six US Open champion Maria Sharapola.

00:02:17
Speaker 2: Thank you give it up, plea.

00:02:19
Speaker 1: It's five times Grand Slam title holder and many more, thirty six titles, number world number one for twenty one weeks, so many success. We don't have to get into it.

00:02:29
Speaker 2: Please let's not. But actually, if you want it, I mean, keep going. I don't hear this every day.

00:02:35
Speaker 1: Now. This is an absolute tremendous, tremendous career by this lady here. And I was wondering, what is of waiting Coco. Now you've been in this position. Do you think she can handle it? And we've seen other past champions that have crumbled under the pressure. Can you tell with your experience this one's going to make it and this one will struggle.

00:02:57
Speaker 2: I think her journey has been interesting because from the age of sixteen, she's been this the prospect and the target, and everyone believed that she would get there, and it's perhaps I think from everyone's expectations, it's taken a little bit longer. But I think for her that may be helpful because it took a few years to figure it out, as opposed to coming out on top from the very beginning and then just being so surprised by everything that comes your way. And I just think she has you know, she has a great team and her you know that the support from the genuine support from her parents is very evident, and it's a beautiful story. And I think, and look, does that mean that she's going to go out and win every single Grand Slam? This is sport. It never happens. Most of the time, you know, you end up losing a few more than you win. But those wins are very special and I'm sure that she she will handle the ups and downs brilliantly.

00:03:48
Speaker 1: And you mentioned the team Coco had a bit of a change in her coaching team. And you just mentioned also that you've been partnered with Evion for ten years. Evion has been the sponsor of the US Open for thirty five five years.

00:04:00
Speaker 2: That is insane, that is inside years.

00:04:03
Speaker 1: Yeah, that is. And you know what's interesting. I'm European, I'm from Germany, and I always knew of Evyon, but I had two or three Americans come up to me saying that they heard of evy On when they started sponsoring the US Open. Wow. So it just shows you what partnership it takes.

00:04:20
Speaker 2: The absolute sense. I think you know just as well as every athlete, the importance of nutrition and hydration and how we prepare our bodies and not just when we're competing, but actually when we're away from the court, like that recovery aspect and element and and you see all the players with their you know, within the wimble and they had the sustainable bottles which was very cool and they were refilling it. I thought that was a brilliant idea and we've just done. I think they're also so creative and how they how they approach the partnerships and fun ways. I mean, look at us now floating on the water, and we've done incredible sustainable projects. One with Iris van Harpin, who's an incredible Dutch designers. She created she created a material from use plastic bottles that I ended up wearing on a red carpet. So we've done the Live Young campaign several years ago was one of my favorite personal brand campaigns of all time. So they're just innovative and cool, and they've what they're able to bring to sport just elevates the sport and tennis in so many fun ways.

00:05:23
Speaker 1: Well, and you've you also, I have to say, you've been always a very loyal person also with your coaching teams, with your partners. How important do you think is loyalty in your relationship, in your business relationships but also in tennis, Like how can you transfer it from tennis to your business relationship? I think it just takes.

00:05:41
Speaker 2: Time, Like when you have a new coach or a new person on your team.

00:05:44
Speaker 1: It to you.

00:05:45
Speaker 2: Okay, you might know, like if something goes wrong and you're just really unhappy, but you let them go. But overall, I think it takes time to develop a strong partnership, and it takes time to get to know each other and build trust and and understand like the value use of each But yeah, once you're once you're aligned on a vision and you're able to like work together toward the same goals. Like one of the things I miss about the sport was having having the team members there, like they're with you until the very last step as you go through the tunnel. You know, you get your bag and you're like, you know, you give them the little fist pump and you know that, yes you're on your own. But like their whole life revolves around that match, right, their family schedule, where are they going next? So I just took that to heart because I think, you know, we're all human, we have a lot of things going on in our lives, and so I wanted to win with them. And just like in partnerships and in business.

00:06:39
Speaker 1: Or you're just really bad at firing people, probably that too.

00:06:42
Speaker 2: I mean, that's really hard, that's an that's an entirely like new skill that I've had to learn in business.

00:06:49
Speaker 1: What else have you been up to since you've been retired. You've been retired for a few years.

00:06:54
Speaker 2: Yes, I became a mother about a year ago, which I think was one of the greatest accomplishments that I've ever experienced. I have an entirely new respect for motherhood and parenthood and just the moment of how you like, you know, your body is experiencing completely different your mind somewhere else, and that's been challenging rewarding because I'm also you know, I love to work. I'm very ambitious. I've always had big goals about where I you know, I've said foundation in the business world for several years during my career, and I knew that I wanted to take it to another level and grow, but yet I wanted to come home and have this beautiful family, and so yeah, it's just a it's a bit of a juggle game. Yeah.

00:07:40
Speaker 1: Well, but you were actually really famous for that because you were had always interest outside the court, but at the same time you were known as the most professional, hardworking athlete in the entire world. How did you strike that balance then, and does it help you now to keep striking that balance.

00:08:00
Speaker 2: I think I just genuinely loved what I did. I loved like this, waking up, putting on my sports gear and just getting better at this sport. I thought that was I still believe it was so rewarding. And you know, when I don't know, it's maybe you can relate to it as well. As a woman, I think it's a very powerful feeling to have a job at which you like, you're able to see improvements in real time, right, And it's it's very very empowering. And I had a stage with an incredible loyal following, and there's a part of that camaraderie that you know, you start building and teamwork comes into play. And yeah, I just I loved it so but I also knew that there were limitations to what I could do when I was outside of the court, and and so that's where I wanted to learn. And I would take classes in Harvard Business School, I would go and intern with Adam Silver at the NBA. So I found, you know, I found little moments to grow because I didn't just want to swim in one lane. And I knew that also as a woman, at one point you have to make a decision on whether you know you want to stop for several years or you want to retire to a family. You know, things don't just happen fast like this is a process. So yeah, I don't know where I was going with them, just.

00:09:14
Speaker 1: That you are really good at striking balances.

00:09:17
Speaker 2: I don't know if I was good, but I definitely had a goal and I set to it, and I just I love the sport and I love competing.

00:09:24
Speaker 1: How do you feel about all these mothers in the tennis world now coming back and we hope to see.

00:09:31
Speaker 2: I don't know how they do it.

00:09:32
Speaker 1: I'm so.

00:09:34
Speaker 2: I don't see that in my future.

00:09:37
Speaker 1: Well, actually, I have to say that I asked a bit around about you, trying to get anecdotes about you that I can't google on the internet.

00:09:46
Speaker 2: Oh wow, And.

00:09:47
Speaker 1: I heard one thing. I don't know if it's well, I heard one thing. I don't know if it's true, but somebody told me that you were different because from very early on as a teenager, and I'm not sure if it's true, you wanted to be c seed on all emails, and you wanted to be kind of in the know of everything that was going on.

00:10:07
Speaker 2: Okay, from very early on, is that controlling? Is that like, No, I think it's controlling and possessed, not at all.

00:10:15
Speaker 1: Actually that you wanted to learn about the business side, I did.

00:10:18
Speaker 2: I love the process. I think that's you know, like last night seeing you know, a woman's final whare, but that's like the last step. It's like I love seeing where those athletes start, where are they from, how did they get there, what work did they do? Who helped them? How did so many things have to come together? And I see a lot of similarities in business, like to understand how these puzzles align. And sometimes you want them to align and you do everything you can and they don't. You know, it's just the way, and then you have to like go back to the drawing board. And yeah, but I love I love stepping back. I love seeing how players practice. I love seeing how they do the work that's not fancy, you know, that's not on stadium court.

00:10:59
Speaker 1: Well, and do you you've mentioned the team, the people around you helping you. Do you have specific values that you look for when you enter a partnership. Clearly you have a good hand in it. You've been with Evion for ten years and others as well.

00:11:14
Speaker 2: I think you have to have like the same north Star, you have to have the same goal, you know, but the way that you all get there could be slightly different. And that's why you hire them, because they give you a different idea, different ideas and different vision. And also I love like having a team that was from different parts of the world. I think it's very interesting, like to connect and mix different cultures because you learn so much from their own backgrounds and like how they came into this profession and what makes them, you know, what gives them the fuel, what gives them the fire to succeed, and who are they as people? I was very interested in that.

00:11:51
Speaker 1: So do you want to call out somebody specific here, like who gives you the fuel?

00:11:55
Speaker 2: Oh?

00:11:55
Speaker 1: We should just brushure. Come on, everyone, everyone, How was the transition for you retiring from tennis? Some players talk about it as very painful, as losing a part of the identity. Others can't wait to start the new chapter of their lives. How was it for you?

00:12:15
Speaker 2: I look, I think it's always, as you know, as if I can be honest, it's always it's always difficult because you've had something for so many years of your life. You committed everything right, you get you know, you gave up the birthdays and holidays, do you know, just to work on this craft and and it's yeah, it's it becomes a huge part of your identity. And so I don't but I don't think you realize that until you let it go, and you don't realize how and where and at which instances it affects you. But but after retirement, we went into you know, these lockdowns and COVID and so it was a very different existence for for not just myself and where I was in life, but I think for everyone around the world. So I don't know if it was like a true additional retirement. So I can't really.

00:13:03
Speaker 1: You face your demons if you think about it.

00:13:06
Speaker 2: I mean, I wanted to travel the world, and I did not travel the world. For a long time.

00:13:11
Speaker 1: We were just at home.

00:13:13
Speaker 2: I was just at home with my parents, and I was like, well, this is back to basics. But no, we had there were moments that were really really nice during that time, but it was very it's different. But I was my body was ready. I mean I struggled with my shoulder and several other things for so long, and so you know, the stubbornness that propelled me to the top. I think in the end almost became a demon because I wanted it. You know, I worked so hard to try to get my body back, but ultimately you can't let let stubborness get in the way of better things in your life. So it was a moment of letting go.

00:13:47
Speaker 1: Interesting that actually your strength became your weakness in the end because you just abs because you were known as Actually this is something that I personally just need to know. You were always as the woman with the most mental fortitude on the tour. Is that something you were born with or did you work on that?

00:14:07
Speaker 2: I don't know. You're leaning in an answer you want.

00:14:11
Speaker 1: I wish I had asked you this question.

00:14:13
Speaker 2: But I don't know if I should lean in answering this. I just I you know, I didn't grow up being the like the most talented. Like people expected good things and perhaps great things for me, But I just thought my mind was always my weapon, and I wasn't the strongest. Actually, I didn't grow until I was like late teenager, so I didn't have the like some of the athletic skills that a lot of a lot of tennis players have. And I thought that, my you know, tennis is just so many flows and momentum changes, and I thought, if I could just stick it out for a few extra points, right, if I could just hang in there with my opponent and give them something to think about, you know. I think that's what like Coco almost did yesterday. Like she she probably knew she didn't play a terrific first set, but she just stuck in there. She hung in there against an opponent that can become a bit erratic, that could make more mistakes, and she did and then she found her groove.

00:15:07
Speaker 1: So how have you followed tennis? Have you followed tennis at all? I love watching, I really do. I like I have this. It's nice to have a healthy distance with it, but also know exactly what is going on.

00:15:21
Speaker 2: I was like sitting there yesterday, I was like, this is a huge point, and everyone is like sipping beer, and I'm like, can you focus? This is a huge point. So I like, you know, it's like I know this, these the secret moments that are important.

00:15:37
Speaker 1: But yeah, I absolutely I love watching. And do you miss the competition at all? Or you do the competition? That's the one thing.

00:15:44
Speaker 2: Yeah, It's like in business, it's not like you get a great dealer. You make a good investment and there's like a great return. It's not like you like fist pump, you know what I mean. Like I'm not waving in the cross.

00:16:00
Speaker 1: Or I could, but I have it so.

00:16:03
Speaker 2: That Yeah, I think you should bring that into the businesses. I miss the fans tremendously. It's so special to hear and see you know, like young boys and girls that would wake up, like in the middle of the night to watch you play a tennis match.

00:16:17
Speaker 1: Well, I know that they miss you too, and I want to veer a bit. We don't have I'm not checking my Instagram. I'm just checking the time check.

00:16:25
Speaker 2: I don't think yeah, I think we all check our Instagram like every no, no, no, when you're not when you are talking. This is very interesting, But I want to hear Dave's ment, Yes, by microphone is not working properly. We're going into the men's final. Are we making predictions here?

00:16:41
Speaker 1: Maybe predictions? First? I want to know Novak we are all born in eighty seven, Novak Q and me, we are all the same generation. Did you have an inkling that he would become the greatest of all time by growing up next to him or did you just know he was a.

00:16:57
Speaker 2: Great funny story with Novah. I remember we were I'd won a couple of Grand slams. It was it was at the time when he was like getting there, like getting to the top, but his body was still not not at the level of his tennis.

00:17:12
Speaker 1: I won Grand slams before, very important to make.

00:17:18
Speaker 2: Yes, and we were we we played this like little mini exhibition in Indian wells and he said, he said, if we if I win the next point. I don't know what the bet was, but he won the bet and he's like, if I win the bet, I'm gonna we're gonna go to dinner. And I was like, oh, okay, fine, whatever, like that's never gonna happen. And he ends up winning and he's like, yeah, we're going to dinner. And I was like, and it was this moment. It was so funny. It was this moment where we just went to dinner. He's like, can we take a photo? It was like, so, you know, I know him very well, and it's it's incredible to see how passionate, how like the element of this longevity of how he handles, his treats, his body, how his preparations are. I just it's fascinating.

00:18:05
Speaker 1: Well, and you have a lot of things in common if you think about it. Novak's mind is also something that has transcended his abilities. If you looked at them Rafa Roger Novak, if you looked at them, you wouldn't put him on the highest top of the tennis skills. But his mind kind of transcended that. And now we are veering into the predictions. First of all, let me know, what do you think about men's tennis right now, like where it's at for you in your opinion?

00:18:34
Speaker 2: I think it's so exciting. I love seeing the younger generation. I mean, can't even call Alcoraz younger generation because he's already you know, at the top of the top. But there's an hour about, you know, the men's game that's very evident. You know, my last coach in my career also coach center for several years, so I got to play with him a little bit, so I'm always you know, rooting for him, and I just I like, you know, his a humble approach to the sport. But what's interesting is they're all so different. They're different styles of play, they're different personalities, they're from different parts of the world, and it's just fun to see these rivalries come together. So I think I think the men's game is in a in a good state. Do you agree?

00:19:16
Speaker 1: I agree with you. I think the that was a bit lacking in the women's game for a while, and now we finally have it is exactly what you mentioned, the rivalries. You either had one dominant player or everyone had a shot. And I think in especially your time, what made it so interesting were the rivalries because you pick teams and you hope somebody when somebody loses. And now we are getting there with the with the US and the zabal Ankas and they rebuking us, shooting for to win her first yees. Yeah, I think we all do. I think we all. Yeah, I see nodding in the crowd. I think we all do. And we were talking around it now for a few minutes. But now we want to hear your prediction for the men's finals.

00:19:58
Speaker 2: Okay, so actually yesterday I predicted Cocoa and three, Oh my god, I did. And today take out.

00:20:06
Speaker 1: Your betting page.

00:20:07
Speaker 2: Just right now. I think I think it all depends on Novak right. I think it depends on even though. Look, Medvedev came out against al Karaz and you thought it'd be like a competitive match, but you always believe that al Karaz would come back and get it and and and Daniel was like right there every moment of the way. So perhaps that that can happen again. He's such a character. I mean, I've seen some of the interviews of Medvedev this week and I was like, it's pretty funny. I was like, whoa, Okay, yeah, well, I guess it's the relationship with the crowd that he has and he's he's playing into it, which is which is fun. I'm going for Novak and I'll say in four, but I don't know if I would be entirely surprised if Medvedev also wants it. So I'm not sure I just gave you a prediction.

00:20:57
Speaker 1: But okay, so maybe put a bit I see you few people with their phones. Maybe put the betting side side again. And what do we as a collective here have to do to see you back on court? Is there anything?

00:21:10
Speaker 2: Nothing? Just drink some more avon.

00:21:15
Speaker 1: Nice and Maria. I think we are so lucky to have you as a ten I'm talking now in the name of tennis. I think you brought so much to the sport, you're bringing so much to it after the sport, and we are just so lucky to have you and hopefully we will see you more at some tennis events. You don't have to come to everyone all of them. Thank you, but like maybe my son.

00:21:36
Speaker 2: Appreciates that, we just like to see you in there way help for a few more years. But yeah, it's nice to pop in here and there, So thanks for this, guys,