Tennis pro Maria Sharapova has paid tribute to her mother, who she says helped her to discover a wide world beyond the tennis courts on which she spent most of her childhood and teen years training.
Speaking to Daily Mail Online about her latest campaign for beauty brand Avon ahead of Mother’s Day on May 10, 28-year-old four-time individual Grand Slam winner revealed that, though she spent much of her earlier years training alongside her tennis coach dad, she relished the opportunities that she had to experience other opportunities alongside her mother.
‘I spent a lot of time playing tennis when I was growing up and I was always around my father so I think my mother’s biggest commitment was making sure I’d finished all of my homework on time and making sure I pursued my education,’ Maria, who was born in Russia, explained.
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Family ties: Maria Sharapova has paid tribute to her mother Yelena, thanking her for helping to ensure that she had other interests and passions away from the world of tennis
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Family ties: Maria Sharapova has paid tribute to her mother Yelena, thanking her for helping to ensure that she had other interests and passions away from the world of tennis
True beauty: The 28-year-old is an ambassador for cosmetics company Avon and is one of the faces of the brand’s Beauty For a Purpose campaign
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True beauty: The 28-year-old is an ambassador for cosmetics company Avon and is one of the faces of the brand’s Beauty For a Purpose campaign
‘I remember how she would take me to the ballet and take me to art classes, which opened my eyes to a totally different world outside of being an athlete.
‘She has shaped me in so many ways, from raising me, guiding me in the right direction, opening my eyes to the world around me and exploring it with me.’
And while her father Yuri may have helped to turn her into the successful athlete she is today, Maria added that it was her mother, Yelena, who helped her to achieve the kind of mental toughness and discipline required in order to survive as a professional athlete.
‘Discipline allows you to set clear goals, and diligently follow a plan for achieving them,’ she told Daily Mail Online.
‘This is something my mother taught me and it is true no matter what industry you are in.