Maria Sharapova on mental health: “What you need as a teenager is not exactly what you need towards the end of your career”
Maria Sharapova recently sat down for an interview with Harpers Bazaar India and spoke at length about how her understanding of mental health and wellness has changed since 2004, when she was a teenager and had won Wimbledon.
The Russian said that in a long career, a player has to make shifts and adjustments depending on the stage of their career. “Throughout a long career, you make shifts, changes, and adjustments based on where you are and what you need. I think what you need as a teenager is not exactly what you need towards the end of your career,” Sharapova told Harpers Bazaar India.
Sharapova said that she understood quite early on that in sports, the graph can fluctuate, but players have to keep improving. “It’s always good to train yourself to be ready to pivot; it eventually improves your mindfulness. I understood early on that in sports your graph can have its ups and downs, but you have to keep improving and being strong until the last match,” she said.
The former World No. 1 also talked about lessons that she has drawn from tennis that she still carries in her life outside of sport. Sharapova mentioned that she has always focused on making sure her body and mind are ready for a new challenge.
