Tennis superstar Maria Sharapova got everyone’s attention Wednesday when she said that it’s time to walk away from the sport and said she’s “saying goodbye.”
“Tennis showed me the world—and it showed me what I was made of,” the 32-year-old professional tennis player captioned her post on Instagram, along with a great throwback shot of her as a young girl on the court. (RELATED: Celebrate Maria Sharapova’s Birthday With Her Greatest Moments [Slideshow])
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“It’s how I tested myself and how I measured my growth,” she added. “And so in whatever I might choose for my next chapter, my next mountain, I’ll still be pushing. I’ll still be climbing. I’ll still be growing.” (SLIDESHOW: Anna Kournikova: The Best To Ever Play The Game)
Sharapova concluded, “Tennis—I’m saying goodbye.”
In an essay for Vanity Fair, the tennis superstar explained further her decision to retire after winning five Grand Slam titles, including Wimbledon when she was just 17-years-old in 2004, per TMZ.
“In giving my life to tennis, tennis gave me a life. I’ll miss it everyday,” Maria explained. “I’ll miss the training and my daily routine: Waking up at dawn, lacing my left shoe before my right, and closing the court’s gate before I hit my first ball of the day.”
“I’ll miss my team, my coaches,” she added. “I’ll miss the moments sitting with my father on the practice court bench. The handshakes – win or lose – and the athletes, whether they knew it or not, who pushed me to be my best.”
Sharapova continued, “Looking back now, I realize that tennis has been my mountain. My path has been filled with valleys and detours, but the views from its peak were incredible. After 28 years and five Grand Slam titles, though, I’m ready to scale another mountain — to compete on a different type of terrain.”
“That relentless chase for victories, though? That won’t ever diminish,” the Russian tennis player shared. “No matter what lies ahead, I will apply the same focus, the same work ethic, and all of the lessons I’ve learned along the way.