Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova have reunited in style at the 2024 Paris Fashion Week.
Serena Williams and Sharapova established one of the most compelling rivalries on tour, locking horns 22 times. It all began when the Russian pulled off a shocking upset over two-time defending champion Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final. However, Williams went on to dominate their rivalry, winning 20 of their next 21 encounters.
While the duo had a contentious on-court rivalry during their playing days, their competitive past has given way to mutual respect and admiration since their retirement. They have embraced various off-court pursuits since hanging up their racquets, particularly in the realm of fashion. The tennis legends are regular fixtures at fashion events around the world.
Recently, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova indulged their love for fashion by traveling to France for the 2024 Paris Fashion Week. The duo crossed paths at the Valentino Fall 2024 show and exchanged laughs. Here’s the video:
Maria Sharapova and the 23-time Grand Slam champion also posed for a picture together, showing off their stunning outfits for the show.
While the Russian opted for a chic black ensemble embellished with white accents, Williams donned a glamorous burgundy and white minidress with fur accents on the sleeves.
“It made me unhappy seeing Maria Sharapova win Wimbledon 2004, I thought it was because I loved Serena Williams, but that was not the whole picture” – Andrea Petkovic
Maria Sharapova won her maiden Grand Slam title at just 17, beating two-time defending champion Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4 in the 2004 Wimbeldon final.Andrea Perkovic recently recalled Sharapova’s rapid rise in the tennis world after her Wimbledon triumph and revealed that, at the time, she felt unhappy about the Russian’s win because of her love for Williams.
“I should have known a lot sooner that I wasn’t going to be great. Really, I should have known in 2004. Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004. She beat Serena in the final and instantly became the new star in an ever rapidly changing tennis sky,” Petkovic wrote in a cloumn on Substack.
“I watched the match on my tiny TV in my children’s room in the attic of my parents’ house, sweating in the summer heat of a room under the roof with no air-conditioning and felt conflicted. It made me unhappy seeing Maria win and back then I thought it was because I loved Serena so much, but now I know that was not the whole picture,” she added.
However, Petkovic admitted that her unease about Sharapova’s victory stemmed from her self-doubt, as the Russian’s accomplishments had far outstripped her own, despite both being 17.
“The real reason why it made me feel uneasy watching Maria win Wimbledon aged 17 was that I was 17, too. But while Maria triumphed in front of thousands of people on the most famous Centre Court in the world I hadn’t even gathered enough ranking points to qualify for qualifying,” she said.
“Now, every person has their own timing and just because she was winning right then didn’t mean I couldn’t at a later point in life – but it did make me think and for the first time doubt myself,” Petkovic added.
