But since announcing her retirement from tennis in February 2020 (after 28 years of play, becoming world No 1, achieving five Grand Slam titles, and becoming the highest earning female athlete for 11 years in a row) Sharapova is now embracing new beginnings, enjoying being creative and determining what the next chapter of her life and career will look like. 

“The tournament schedules really drove my entire calendar,” she acknowledges. “So [since] I retired, there’s now an amazing opportunity to be a part of these types of projects, when before I was quite limited.”  

She’s spending her time and her fortune in ways most would only dream of. Engaged to British businessman Alexander Gilkes since last December, the couple spent much of the summer (and what would previously have been her busiest season) venturing between Dubrovnik, Menorca, Puglia, Amsterdam, Paris, Venice, London, Hampshire and Ballindalloch – all before dropping back into New York to attend the Met Gala.