Former world No. 2, Svetlana Kuznetsova, shared her thoughts on communicating with five-time Grand Slam champion, Maria Sharapova.
“For a while, Maria Sharapova and I played together on the national team. However, it seemed difficult for her to play in Russia. I could see a reflection of myself in her situation.”
When asked about Sharapova`s perceived American mentality, Kuznetsova responded, “I`ve never discussed it with her directly. It seems to me she had a similar experience to mine. We left Russia, developed our tennis careers abroad, and then returning here, that childhood memory, and a sense of rejection or lack of belief in you, indirectly affects you. It was also very challenging for her to compete in Russia. I believe she won only one match out of the three or four she played in Russia.”
Regarding Sharapova`s mentality being more American, Kuznetsova elaborated, “We communicated a bit, though Maria always kept to herself. During national team events, we interacted slightly more, but not closely. Yes, her mentality is definitely more American. For example, when we discussed something like Birkin bags, she genuinely couldn`t understand the appeal. But overall, she is very welcoming. I understand why she created boundaries – because so many people want something from her,” Kuznetsova mentioned in Fedor Smolov’s Smol Talk podcast.
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