Maria Sharapova's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Maria Sharapova.

Maria Sharapova is a retired Russian professional tennis player. She achieved the world No. 1 ranking and held it for 21 weeks. Sharapova's career highlights include winning 36 WTA Tour-level singles titles. She is a five-time major champion and secured the WTA Tour Championships in 2004. Sharapova is one of ten women to complete a career Grand Slam in singles.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1975: Chris Evert's Ranking

In 1975, Chris Evert achieved a ranking with 260 weeks.

1976: Evonne Goolagong's Ranking

In 1976, Evonne Goolagong achieved a ranking with 2 weeks.

1978: Martina Navratilova's Ranking

In 1978, Martina Navratilova achieved a ranking with 331 weeks.

1980: Tracy Austin's Ranking

In 1980, Tracy Austin achieved a ranking with 22 weeks.

1985: Chris Evert's Ranking

In 1985, Chris Evert achieved a ranking with 260 weeks.

1985: Back-to-back double bagels

In 1985, the Australian Open saw a player win in back-to-back double bagels. This was the first time a player won in back-to-back double bagels at a Grand Slam tournament since the 1985 Australian Open.

1987: Martina Navratilova & Steffi Graf's Ranking

In 1987, Martina Navratilova achieved a ranking with 331 weeks and Steffi Graf achieved a ranking with 377 weeks.

1991: Monica Seles's Ranking

In 1991, Monica Seles achieved a ranking with 178 weeks.

1995: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario's Ranking

In 1995, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario achieved a ranking with 12 weeks.

1996: Monica Seles's Ranking

In 1996, Monica Seles achieved a ranking with 178 weeks.

1997: Steffi Graf & Martina Hingis's Ranking

In 1997, Steffi Graf achieved a ranking with 377 weeks and Martina Hingis achieved a ranking with 209 weeks.

1998: Lindsay Davenport's Ranking

In 1998, Lindsay Davenport achieved a ranking with 98 weeks.

November 2000: Eddie Herr Championship Win

In November 2000, Maria Sharapova won the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships in the girls' 16 division at age 13.

2001: Martina Hingis & Jennifer Capriati's Ranking

In 2001, Martina Hingis achieved a ranking with 209 weeks and Jennifer Capriati achieved a ranking with 17 weeks.

2001: Third set contested in French Open final

In 2001, before the 2014 French Open, a third set was contested in the final.

October 2002: ITF Junior Ranking

On October 21, 2002, Maria Sharapova reached No. 6 in the ITF junior world singles ranking, highlighting her success in junior competitions.

2002: Venus & Serena Williams and Jennifer Capriati's Ranking

In 2002, Venus Williams achieved a ranking with 11 weeks, Serena Williams achieved a ranking with 319 weeks, and Jennifer Capriati achieved a ranking with 17 weeks.

2003: Kim Clijsters & Justine Henin's Ranking

In 2003, Kim Clijsters achieved a ranking with 20 weeks and Justine Henin achieved a ranking with 117 weeks.

2003: First Full Season and WTA Title

In 2003, Maria Sharapova played a full season, climbed into the top 50, captured her first WTA title at the Japan Open Tennis Championships, and won the Bell Challenge in Quebec City. She was also awarded the WTA Newcomer of the Year honor.

2004: Amélie Mauresmo's Ranking

In 2004, Amélie Mauresmo achieved a ranking with 39 weeks.

2004: WTA Tour Championships

In 2004, Maria Sharapova won the WTA Tour Championships, adding to her growing list of achievements.

August 2005: First World No. 1 Ranking

In August 2005, Maria Sharapova became the world No. 1 for the first time at the age of 18, making her the first Russian woman to achieve this ranking.

August 2005: First Asian and Russian Woman to Hold World No. 1 Ranking

On August 22, 2005, Maria Sharapova became the first Asian and Russian woman to hold the world No. 1 ranking in tennis.

September 2005: World No. 1 Ranking Again

On September 12, 2005, Maria Sharapova once again took the world No. 1 ranking after the US Open, marking another milestone in her career.

2005: Maria Sharapova's Ranking

In 2005, Maria Sharapova achieved a ranking with 21 weeks.

2006: Lindsay Davenport & Amélie Mauresmo's Ranking

In 2006, Lindsay Davenport achieved a ranking with 98 weeks and Amélie Mauresmo achieved a ranking with 39 weeks.

2006: Indian Wells Title

In 2006, Maria Sharapova claimed her first title in nine months at the Tier I tournament in Indian Wells, defeating Martina Hingis and Elena Dementieva.

2006: US Open Victory

In 2006, Maria Sharapova won the US Open tournament. This was the last time she had reached the quarterfinals of the US Open before 2012.

February 2008: Fed Cup Debut

In February 2008, Sharapova made her Fed Cup debut in Russia's quarterfinal tie against Israel, winning both her singles rubbers and contributing to a 4–1 victory. She skipped the semifinals but was named to the team for the final, though she did not play due to a shoulder injury.

August 2008: Highest ranking since shoulder injury

In August 2008, Sharapova achieved her highest ranking since her shoulder injury.

2008: Justine Henin, Ana Ivanovic & Jelena Janković's Ranking

In 2008, Justine Henin achieved a ranking with 117 weeks, Ana Ivanovic achieved a ranking with 12 weeks and Jelena Janković achieved a ranking with 18 weeks.

2008: Australian Open Title

In 2008, Maria Sharapova won the Australian Open, marking another significant achievement in her tennis career.

2009: Dinara Safina & Jelena Janković's Ranking

In 2009, Dinara Safina achieved a ranking with 26 weeks and Jelena Janković achieved a ranking with 18 weeks.

2010: Caroline Wozniacki's Ranking

In 2010, Caroline Wozniacki achieved a ranking with 71 weeks.

June 2011: Named a Tennis Legend by Time

In June 2011, Maria Sharapova was named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future" by Time magazine.

2011: Kim Clijsters's Ranking

In 2011, Kim Clijsters achieved a ranking with 20 weeks.

2011: US Open and WTA Tour Championships

In 2011, Sharapova entered the US Open, where she was upset by Flavia Pennetta. She climbed to world No. 2 in the rankings. She retired against Petra Kvitová in the quarterfinal of the Pan Pacific Open due to an ankle injury and withdrew from the China Open. She withdrew during the round-robin stage of the WTA Tour Championships due to her ankle injury and ended the year as No. 4 in the world.

2011: Australian Open and Return to Top 10

In 2011, Sharapova participated in the Australian Open, reaching the fourth round before losing to Andrea Petkovic. She withdrew from the Dubai Championships and the Qatar Open due to an ear infection. She returned to the tour at the BNP Paribas Open, reaching the semifinal. At Key Biscayne, she reached the final but was defeated by Victoria Azarenka. Following this result, Sharapova returned to the top 10 for the first time since February 2009.

2011: Madrid Open and Italian Open

In 2011, during the clay-court season, Sharapova participated in the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, where she won the title after defeating Caroline Wozniacki in the semifinals and Samantha Stosur in the final. At the French Open, she reached the semifinals, losing to Li Na.

March 2012: Named One of the Greatest of All Time by Tennis Channel

In March 2012, Maria Sharapova was named one of the "100 Greatest of All Time" by Tennis Channel.

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2012: Maria Sharapova & Victoria Azarenka's Ranking

In 2012, Maria Sharapova achieved a ranking with 21 weeks and Victoria Azarenka achieved a ranking with 51 weeks.

2012: French Open and Olympic Medal

In 2012, Maria Sharapova claimed the French Open, completing her career Grand Slam, and also won an Olympic silver medal in women's singles at the London Olympics.

2012: Stuttgart Win Streak Begins

In 2012, Maria Sharapova won the Stuttgart tournament. This was the first of three consecutive wins at the tournament.

2012: Olympic Debut and Silver Medal

In 2012, Sharapova made her Olympic debut at the London Summer Olympics. She won a silver medal in the singles draw, losing to Serena Williams in the final.

2012: Participation in 2012 Fed Cup Tie

In 2012, Sharapova participated in the Fed Cup, helping Russia to a 3–2 win against Spain in the first-round tie. She defeated Sílvia Soler Espinosa in the first rubber but was unable to play her second rubber due to illness.

2012: Australian Open Final and Ranking Improvement

In 2012, Sharapova withdrew from the Brisbane International due to an ankle injury. At the Australian Open, she advanced to the final but lost to Victoria Azarenka. As a result, her ranking improved to world No. 3. She then played in the Open GDF Suez in Paris, where she lost in the quarterfinals.

2012: French Open Victory and Olympic Flag Bearer

In 2012, Sharapova won the French Open, securing her fourth career Grand Slam title and completing a Career Grand Slam. She was also chosen to bear the flag for the Russian Olympic Committee at the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.

2012: Indian Wells, Miami, and Stuttgart Tournaments

In 2012, at the Indian Wells Open, Sharapova advanced to the final but lost to Victoria Azarenka. At the Sony Ericsson Open, she lost in the final to Agnieszka Radwańska. She won her first title of the year at the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, defeating Victoria Azarenka. At the Madrid Open, she was defeated by Serena Williams.

2013: Stuttgart Win Streak Continues

In 2013, Maria Sharapova won the Stuttgart tournament for the second consecutive year.

2013: Victoria Azarenka's Ranking

In 2013, Victoria Azarenka achieved a ranking with 51 weeks.

2014: Second French Open Title

In 2014, Maria Sharapova won her second French Open title, marking her fifth major championship.

2014: Stuttgart Win Streak Completed

In 2014, Maria Sharapova won the Stuttgart tournament for the third consecutive year.

2015: 2015 Season Kickoff and Brisbane International Win

In 2015, Maria Sharapova started her season at the Brisbane International as the top seed, receiving a bye in the first round. She went on to defeat Yaroslava Shvedova, Carla Suárez Navarro, and Elina Svitolina, reaching the final without dropping a set. She won against Ana Ivanovic in three sets. This marked Sharapova's tenth win over Ivanovic and her 34th title, extending her streak of winning at least one title every year for 13 consecutive years. It was also only her second title in Australia.

2015: 2015 Fed Cup Performance

In 2015, Sharapova helped Russia earn a place in the Fed Cup semifinals after beating Pole Urszula Radwańska and her sister Agnieszka Radwańska. She withdrew from the semifinal but joined the team for the final against Czech Republic, winning both of her matches. Despite her wins, Russia lost the final 3–2.

2016: Angelique Kerber's Ranking

In 2016, Angelique Kerber achieved a ranking with 34 weeks.

April 2017: Return to WTA Tour

In April 2017, Maria Sharapova returned to the WTA Tour at the Stuttgart Open following her suspension.

April 2017: Return to WTA Tour and First Victory

In April 2017, Maria Sharapova returned to the WTA Tour, receiving wildcards to compete in the Women's Stuttgart Open, Madrid Open, and Italian Open. On April 26, she played her first match of her comeback at the Porsche Grand Prix, defeating Roberta Vinci in straight sets to advance to the second round, marking her first victory since her return.

2017: Serena Williams, Karolína Plíšková, Garbiñe Muguruza & Simona Halep, Angelique Kerber's Ranking

In 2017, Serena Williams achieved a ranking with 319 weeks, Karolína Plíšková achieved a ranking with 8 weeks, Garbiñe Muguruza achieved a ranking with 4 weeks, Simona Halep achieved a ranking with 64 weeks and Angelique Kerber achieved a ranking with 34 weeks.

2018: Caroline Wozniacki's Ranking

In 2018, Caroline Wozniacki achieved a ranking with 71 weeks.

2019: Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep & Ashleigh Barty's Ranking

In 2019, Naomi Osaka achieved a ranking with 25 weeks, Simona Halep achieved a ranking with 64 weeks and Ashleigh Barty achieved a ranking with 121 weeks.

2019: 2019 Season

In 2019, Sharapova began her season at the Shenzhen Open, reaching the quarterfinals. She played in the Australian Open, reaching the fourth round, and recorded her first win in Russia in thirteen years at the St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy. She withdrew from several tournaments due to a shoulder injury, for which she had minor surgery.