Maria Sharapova, the five-time Grand Slam champion, has announced her plan to retire from tennis in an emotional essay for Vanity Fair. The former world No. 1 is only 32 years old, but has struggled with chronic shoulder problems in recent years and tumbled to No. 373 in the rankings. In her essay, Sharapova wrote about how difficult it was to make her decision, saying: “How do you leave behind the only life you’ve ever known? How do you walk away from the courts you’ve trained on since you were a little girl, the game that you love—one which brought you untold tears and unspeakable joys—a sport where you found a family, along with fans who rallied behind you for more than 28 years? I’m new to this, so please forgive me. Tennis—I’m saying goodbye.” She summed up her reasoning by writing: “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.”
