'Maria, Really?': Navratilova Shocked By Sharapova's Inclusion In Best Player Of All Time Poll
WTA legend Martina Navratilova was dismayed to find Maria Sharapova's inclusion in a poll determining the best tennis female players of all time.
On Wednesday, a post by World of Statistics on X (formerly known as Twitter) asked users to name the best tennis female of all time in a four-woman shortlist including Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Maria Sharapova.
Navratilova reacted in shock and disdain and responded to the post, hinting Sharapova was unworthy to even be on the list in the first place. The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion asked fans not to bother voting. Although she didn't delve into detail, the list does look extremely skewed, with a handful of names with a more ostentatious tennis CV being left out.
The other three players in the list have each won 18 or more Grand Slam singles titles, while players such as Chris Evert and WTA trailblazer Billie Jean King didn't make the cut despite owning a vastly more impressive resume.
"What a joke- I mean Maria? Really? Don’t even bother voting."
Sharapova is a six-time major champion and one of only 10 women to have won at least each one of the four Grand Slams. She was ranked World No. 1 for 21 weeks, first attaining that landmark in 2005 when she was only 18 years old.
She was also the world's highest-paid female athlete for 11 straight years between 2005 and 2016. Having retired from professional tennis in 2020 due to chronic shoulder injuries, Sharapova has since started a family with her fiance, the British businessman Alexander Gilkes.
Sharapova and Gilkes welcomed their first child last August - a baby boy named Theodore. The Russian's marketable appeal, charisma, and magnetic personality have enabled her to make a seamless transition outside of tennis where Sharapova has launched successful business ventures.
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