Maria Sharapova fans plead for tennis return after new workout video
Maria Sharapova’s recent sweat session has fans clamoring for her return to the court.
On Tuesday, the five-time Grand Slam champion gave her Instagram followers a peek at a rigorous exercise regimen that included arm, core and lower-body moves while working with kettlebells and other equipment.
“After missing couple of weeks of strength training, I can confirm, it’s not like riding a bicycle,” Sharapova captioned the video.
The post sparked the attention of her 4.7 million followers, with some pleading for the 38-year-old to consider coming out of retirement.
“Masha please come back we miss you so much,” one user commented.
“Please come back to the courts,” another remarked.
One fan even asked if a Grand Slam was on her mind, writing, “Ready for the US Open 2026?!?”
A former world No. 1, Sharapova shot to international notoriety in 2004 after winning her first championship at Wimbledon. The Russian athlete would go on to conquer all the Grand Slams, winning the U.S. Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and the French Open in 2012 and 2014.
She dealt with injuries in the back half of her career and was hit with a 15-month doping ban in 2016.
Sharapova announced her retirement in early 2020 following what would be her final Australian Open appearance.
“Looking back now, I realize that tennis has been my mountain. 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,” Sharapova said in an essay for Vanity Fair.
“That relentless chase for victories, though? That won’t ever diminish. No matter what lies ahead, I will apply the same focus, the same work ethic, and all of the lessons I’ve learned along the way.”
In the months following her retirement, Sharapova got engaged to British businessman Alexander Gilkes in December 2020. The couple welcomed son Theodore in 2022.
“I’m very happy with where I am at this stage of life,” Sharapova said in a 2023 interview with People. “I appreciate what the sport has taught me and where it’s taken me, but I definitely love seeing it from the outside now.”
