Maria Sharapova, the media-savvy tennis player who retired in 2020 to focus on her successful career as a businesswoman (Moncler, UFC, Public.com and Clio Snacks), remains a social media reference.
The 38-year-old former Russian tennis player dared to participate in YouTube’s “Hot Ones,” where she paid the price for facing the challenge that Jennifer Lawrence and Margot Robbie faced of eating spicy chicken wings proposed by Sean Evans.
Maria Sharapova, who at the last Wimbledon tournament was the ambassador for Stella Artois’ ‘Perfect Serve’ campaign, even serving beers alongside David Beckham, suffered the consequences of the spiciness and did not stop crying while answering Evans’ questions.
Maria Sharapova: “My grunts on the court? To say they were an intimidation factor would be a lie”
“My grunts on the court? I would like to say that it is an intimidation factor, but it would be a lie. It was something that I started to do when I was young, and it just worked, and I kept doing it and the sound got louder and louder… But they could be louder with these wings,” said the former Russian tennis player.
As the strong spice took effect, Sharapova couldn’t stop wiping away her tears and became increasingly uncomfortable as time went on.
“In doubles, would you rather play with a player who was cherry-picking or one who was poaching?” Evans asked.
“What the hell is a person who selects what suits him? Can I swear on this program?” replied the ex-tennis player, snorting.
Maria Sharapova: “How do you ask me questions if I’m about to faint?”
About how hard it is to be runner-up and see on the court that your opponent receives the trophy as champion, Maria Sharapova acknowledged that “it’s not talked about much.”
“It’s one of the hardest moments as a sportsman. And as a tennis player, because not many other sports force the runner-up to stay on the court while the trophy is handed out… In moments of vulnerability, especially as an athlete, your character is reflected in how you handle difficult situations. I think partly being on the podium as a runner-up prepares you to win,” he explained.
Maria Sharapova, with teary eyes, a red face, cursing and laughing between sneezes, struggled to get to the end of the interview.
“How do you ask me questions when I’m about to faint?” he exclaimed as he searched for a napkin.
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