5 Grand Slam Champion Maria Sharapova: Tennis Icon | Entrepreneur | Investor | New Media Creator

850 games later.

36 single titles, 5 Grand Slams.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova.

What led you onto this incredible career?

No hesitation.

You know, a lot of people focus on, like, the big moments. Like, what did you do before the final? But I think a lot of that work is done when nobody's watching.

I always found a better version of myself when I was deliberate about where I would show up, and I didn't want to allow anything to get in the way of something that I had an opportunity to achieve.

That is the best point of the match.

I always wanted to compete at an exhibition or a practice the way that I would compete at a Grand Slam final, so that my body and really my mind already felt what it's like to be on that velocity.

Oh, what a drive.

When an athlete retires, how do they reinvent themselves?

It's never easy to make that decision. You think you go from 100 to 0, but the truth is.

Maria, welcome to NEW ECONOMIES. This is a full circle moment. We were chatting a few weeks ago about all things podcasting, new media, and when I saw you launch a new podcast, I thought, let's get Maria onto the podcast.

So here we are. So thank you so much for being here.

Here I am. Thank you for having me.

This is going to be exciting. But, you know, when I speak to athletes, founders, there's normally a crucible moment that really set them up for life. And that was when you were 5 and a half years old, picked up a tennis racket, and got into the game of tennis.

What was that crucible moment for you, you know, looking back, and what led you onto this incredible career where you are today?

So I picked up my first racket when I was 4, and I was with my father at a local park. He played leisurely, and I there was this coach, and he was he was a really good coach, and he noticed that I was talented.

And I'll be honest with you, I have an almost 4-year-old, and I can guarantee you that there's not much talent there. So in that moment, I am, you know, I look back to, what is it that this coach kind of in the middle of this park noticed in a young girl?

And I think it was this ability to do repetition and to keep hitting the ball over and over and want to perfect a stroke. Because when you're that young, you know, you're not competing. You barely know a lot of the technicalities.

I was also quite tall and lanky. You know, there's not much like athletic skill in me. So I think what he saw was an element of focus, which ultimately, you know, guided my father to this exhibition that was held by Martina Navratilova.

I was just I was almost 6 years old, and she equally said to my father that we should do something about my talent. And my father was like, well, that's two signs. And by the, yeah, around 6, 6 and a half, we were on our way to Miami Airport.

That's crazy. I know 850 games later, 36 single titles, 5 Grand Slams. So much of this is about the pursuit of perfection. When you look back at all of those games, being on all of those calls, what's your proudest moment?

Oh, my proudest moment has to be that

most of the things that I did, whether it was a practice or a match or the way I communicated about my work with my team, was always focused on quality. I even though, you know, we talk about, like, being perfect and this idea of perfectionism, I don't think it exists.

But I always wanted to do things well. And I found my version of well was being proud of how I committed to a task and how I committed to a match and how I committed to my team. I thought that was I thought that if I could execute and do that well, that that would bring me victories.

Now, there's no guarantee that those victories will be the Finals of Wimbledon, you know, or holding the trophy. But there was going to be an element of being proud that I did everything that I could and that I focused on the task and that I hired theright people to help guide me there.

You know, when I watch all these incredible people playing at the finals, the semifinals, if it's singles, mixed doubles, whatever that might be, I'm always just so interested, what does the day before look like? You have a massive Grand Slam potentially coming up.

Are you just chilling in your hotel? Are you eating a steak and burger? Are you just trying to get everything off your mind?

I wish I was eating a steak and burger. I'm eating those now.

Amazing.

No, the day before a big match, you know, a lot of people focus on, like, the big moments,right? And, like, what did you do before the final or, you know, before you became number 1? But I think a lot of that work, most of the work, is done when nobody's watching.

And it's the effort of that work that really matters. And so when I think of preparation for a big match, I always look back to preparation for a practice. Like, how did I warm up for a practice? How did I show up to that practice?

How did I play an exhibition match? Like, did I play I always wanted to compete at an exhibition or a practice the way that I would compete at a Grand Slam final so that my body and really my mind already felt what it's like to be on that velocity, to be on that wavelength, and to feel like not many things could surprise me.

And that didn't mean that I'd go into a final and not feel pressure or not feel the heat of the moment, but it did feel like I was prepared and that I had a sense of what it's like.

So it didn't really feel like it was just, well, what is every time you go to a Grand Slam, a lot of the questions were, what does it feel like to be at Wimbledon? And I'm like, well, it's incredible because we know we're at Wimbledon,right, the mecca of the sport.

But I want to feel like this when I'm playing a small tournament,right? And if I feel like that, then I know my performance will be at the same level, whether I'm playing a smaller event or I'm playing a bigger one.

So the answer to that, it was exactly the same as I do for others. As I would, you know, I would train with my coach. I'd spend a lot of time recovery toward the end of a tournament. You are your body's just beat up.

You're sore. You know, you probably have an injury here and there that's manageable. So you're spending several hours on the massage table listening to podcasts. You are and it's not the type of massage that you're doing on the spot.

You know, the food is very clean, probably a lot of food, but it's nothing fancy. No drinks involved. So all that, you know, all that focused stuff.

When you're about to go on to center court, you know, it's like football, rugby, like every sport you see, the players don't do much talking. Did you make small talk to your, you know, you know,

contender, or was it just, nope, I'm just in my zone, you know?

I treated, you know, the courts and the player lounge and the locker room as if it was my workplace and it was my arena. And I would show up to it and do my job, and I did it as efficiently and as best as I could.

And a lot of the friendships that I formed were mostly away from the sport. Like, I wasn't very I felt quite honest about it from the beginning. Like, it was it was difficult for me to play someone in a final of a tournament,right?

Someone that's getting in the way of that trophy and then go and have some steak together. It was not a combination that and that doesn't mean that other players don't do it. I just always felt like it didn't work for me.

Well, how do you balance that? Because I imagine, especially all these incredible players, they want to make friends with you. You want to make maybe friends with them. But at the end of the day, you're here to, you know, you're here to win, and you want the trophy.

How do you balance that between friends and, you know, being an athlete?

Yeah, I feel like I had a good, fairly, like, healthy relationship with this idea of when I get on the plane and go to an event, like, that was my work, and that is where it was head down, and I was focused on my task, which was winning, you know, unapologetically hoping to get the title and doing everything I can.

And then the time for, you know, friendships and gossip and, you know, talking about feelings and all of that, I mostly did that with, like, my close group of friends and my mom who I was very close to.

And I felt like I had, like, that separation and those boundaries. You know, a moment, like, every year around Christmas time, I would, you know, be on the flight to Australia,right, where it's the beginning of the season. And usually that holiday is when most of my friends are in, you know, relaxation mode.

They want to have fun times, and, you know, you want to collaborate with them. But you're just like, I'm getting on a flight, and I'm about to be competing in a Grand Slam. So you're on a different wavelength.

But there's an element of that where I felt like I was on a path of doing something different. And I like that feeling. Like, selfishly, I really like the feeling of doing something unique and not I mean, I had this extraordinary opportunity to be great at something.

And, you know, I didn't want to allow these, you know, holidays, which I knew would always be there,right, for me in the future. I didn't want them to get in the way of something that I had an opportunity to achieve.

We'll talk about this in a minute, but I feel it kind of correlates, you know, now with the world of AI, business, like, you have to be selfish. And I think it's a good thing. I heard a really good quote earlier this year that someone said to me, and they said, "Ollie is okay to be selfish.

You can say no, and you just have to, you know, be completely focused on what you're good at." But there's also another side,right, where you have to be completely focused on what you're good at. But I guess you also have to make time for friends, family, and, you know, to find that balance.

How do you do that?

Great question. I think your comfort level of what isright for you just develops with time. How I felt that when I was a teenager was very different to how I feel about it now, especially being a mother and just being in a different context of work and life.

You know, time with my family is now prioritized, where when I was in the midst of my career, like, I couldn't prioritize that. That wasn't the reality of my life. And I also think there is, like, there's a lot of power in saying no because that's what's best for you,right?

Saying yes to everything and every opportunity and every gathering and every event is it could be wonderful, and it could be interesting, and for many people, it fuels them. I always found a better version of myself when I was deliberate about where I would show up and how I would use my energy just because I had a different purpose and a different goal.

You have to,right? And that's why having a great team around you always helps, if it's mentors, if it's coaches, investors, and so on,right? I don't think many people actually understand what the business of sport entails. When you are when you're a tennis player and you're a world champion, you have a bunch of people around you,right?

How does that actually look like? You have a coach, personal trainer. What is that set up?

Well, when you're young and you don't have the means to have a large team, usually the most important team member is your coach. And for many young players, sometimes that's a parent because the, you know, a young player grows up with their family or their parents were sporty.

And, you know, my dad was my coach for many years up until I won my third Grand Slam. So I certainly knew what that dynamic felt like. And then when you start making a little bit more money and you have, you know, the ability to hire more team members, usually then it's followed by either a fitness trainer or a, you know, someone that works on your body.

Sometimes that's an osteopath. Sometimes that's a physical therapist. So I'd say those three are the most common. I mean, now you have a player's box is filled with many different characters.

There is content teams. There is, you know, a mental coach as well, which has been quite popular in the last few years. So I think as players just get more comfortable and honestly just have the ability,right, to invest in theright team, the more people join their team.

But sometimes what you need in your training periods is not what you need at a Grand Slam. So and everyone is different. You know, sometimes your trainer is just a really good mentor or a really good friend, and you like to have them around because that is the support you need in big moments.

So yeah, I think it's such a personal decision who your team members are.

Up until that first Grand Slam, when you had your dad as a great coach, how did you balance that relationship, a loving relationship, with a dad who's trying to make his daughter win as many Grand Slams as possible versus, you know, being a loving, caring parent?

Yeah. I was really fortunate that my dad always had my best interest, whether it was about my tennis, whether it was about my health, whether it was about money. You know, my parents had a really, like, that was such a great gift that both of them gave me was just this understanding that

at the end of the day, I was their daughter. And although I was doing something so unique compared to other families and compared to other children, you know, they never, like, they never let go of the sight that this is still a young girl,right, that gets injured if she pushes herself too much or plays too many tournaments.

You know, there's also the money dynamic of, you know, what do you do with money when you make money from a young age? So all of those things we had to experience as a, you know, as a small unit.

I wasn't an only child and still am. So a lot of those decisions were only with us three on mine. So we were a small but mighty team.

It's incredible. I know even when you see this amazing talent today on the courts, everyone is getting so young. You have incredible talent just, like, knocking out the park. But now when you look back, you haven't played tennis, I don't think, for a while now.

But when you look back, do you think, "God, these people got so much talent now"?

Yeah, and physicality. There's so many players that are just so, you know, adapting physically to all of the demands that a sport provides. Everything from, like, the press obligations to the schedule and just the depth of the schedule.

Like, there's so many events. You're playing 10, 11 months out of the year. And then in between, like, you have to find blocks where you're just training,right? So you're building and you're building a strong foundation, which the schedule doesn't really allow you that.

So you try to do that in the off-season. So you're always, you know, you're always pushing. You're always in this feeling like you're on the edge of the cliff. And now, you know, now players have more responsibility off the court,right?

There's a lot more on the line. There are a lot of more financial deals than they were 10, 15 years ago. And so just balancing that, I think, has been, I mean, extremely difficult for players. But the ones that I feel like get itright are the ones that have one focus when they wake up, when they know that

everything else depends on the court,right? So no matter how many opportunities you have, those will be very quick-lived if you don't continue to deliver and if you don't continue to win. So showing up and focusing on that one thing, the one thing that just truly matters, has always been really important to me and something that I hope that young athletes continue to think about and recognize.

So there's always a moment in time,right, when after many games, the body is aching, there are maybe four switch calm left toright, drifting in and out, where it's maybe theright time just to figure out the next stage, the second act.

When was that moment for you? When did you decide, "You know, my body is in so much pain. I just want to do something else"?

The first time I thought about that there would be a second act is when I had my shoulder surgery. I was in my early 20s, and I had just won my third Grand Slam. And so the timing couldn't have been worse.

And I just I realized that for female athletes, whether it is because of injury or because of a lost interest or because you want to start a family, that your end will come a lot sooner than another profession for a woman.

And so I think I just remember realizing that, well, you better start thinking about other things. You better build a foundation. And being I was an ambitious woman that loved work. Like, I had a strong work ethic, and I knew that my one day would come.

And when I was in that, you know, going into the operation for the shoulder injury, there wasn't anyone that I knew that come back from that. So I was worried. I still believed that I would come back, but I was really worried about my chances.

You know, I'd come back, and I had a very slow recovery. It took me years to get to the top. I then ended up winning a couple more majors, but it was, you know, slow growth. It was I had to change a lot of things in my game to accommodate a new, you know, the mechanics changed a little bit on my serve.

So there are many adjustments that I had to make, but it was the first time where I said, "OK, like, I need to build a foundation, and I need to grow out of this sporting bubble in order to feel like I'll have a better base once I do retire," whenever that is.

Do you think to the world of sports, they prepare athletes for retirement in a good way now? Has it got maybe better over the years?

I think athletes recognize

when you're young, you know, you're guided by people that are close to you. That's just the reality of it. And, you know, it's too complicated to think that you need to think of a second act when you're just starting in your life, even if you're a very successful young athlete.

But with time, you certainly understand that, you know, your body only has a certain threshold that it's going to get past. And

I think also players have more interest and more opportunities now than they did. You know, they're seeing they now have a brand. And whether it's a media platform, whether that's through fashion or design, there's so many different avenues that athletes can explore.

So I think that gives them, you know, the confidence that beyond the sport, there is something on the other side of it.

So everybody has a second act when they eventually retire. And we're going to talk about, you know, your amazing new podcast shortly. But I also sometimes feel, you know,

when an athlete retires, they have to basically figure out how do they reinvent themselves because they're known for this thing. And then they transition to become, you know, a founder, an entrepreneur, an ambassador like yourself. How's that process for you?

And for any athletes listening, what is the biggest, you know, piece of advice you can give to them?

Well, the first one is just the reality of it's never easy to make that decision, no matter if you're an athlete or you are a, you know, you've graduated school and you are thinking about your next act or you've had an amazing career and you've lost touch or interest in it and you want to pivot.

And I think all of those situations are very relatable to the one I had, which was, you know, I knew the end was near. I knew my body was not at the standard I expected it to be. And the delivery of my performance was no longer there.

And so but there's a shift,right? You think you go from 100 to a zero. But the truth is all those lessons, all the work, all the experience along the way, you get to apply it in a new form.

But the challenge is figuring out what that form is and understanding, well, where do you apply that perseverance? You know, where do you apply that teamwork? And that's the piece that takes time. A lot of people say, you know, build on the momentum when you finish one thing, you know, go into the next because there is, like, that momentum.

And if you have a zoo, if you zoom out and if you take a break, you know, it's difficult to get back in. I never really appreciated that advice because I felt like it was nice to actually step back and take a moment to recognize what you've done in this first act,right?

And that really gave me the freedom. And also just it's nice to have a little break,right, from the vigor of a certain industry. It doesn't mean, like, I was, you know, watching movies all day long. But in terms of being, you know, in the public eye week in, week out and having that brand platform like I did for many years, it was really nice to kind of take a little bit of a break.

When you are competing, you're I'm guessing you're on a pretty strict diet. As soon as you come off that treadmill of having to compete, doesn't it feel so good just to eat what the hell you like?

Well, I love to eat even when I was competing. I love food in general. So just getting me on a very particular strict diet never quite worked. You know, I think I was wise in how I ate, but I definitely I just love food and I love sweets and I love all of that stuff.

So I tone it down during, you know, during Grand Slams. But yeah, I love, like, a good piece of cake.

It's good.

On holiday, I was going to have a great piece of cake. So but I'm just yeah, I was very mindful. I mean, I worked out for a living, so I was training on the court in the gym for several hours, so I definitely could use it.

And, you know, now it's just, like, recognizing that, yeah, I'm not training for six hours a day.

And just, yeah, just being more mindful.

You know, I feel when I meet athletes who've retired, there are so many comparisons between being an amazing athlete, current or former, with a founder, entrepreneur, ambassador. Are you still super competitive in the entrepreneurial business world?

Yeah, that never goes away, that competitive spirit, the, yeah, the feeling of working towards something, whether it's by yourself or with a team, you know, getting that result and letting your, like, mind and body feel what it feels like.

And also, by the way, to not get the result. Like, that's the beauty of sport is, like, going through those ups and downs. And being away from sport is there's nothing like that variety,right? Nothing really gives you that moment of match point.

And equally, there's nothing, you know, that can replicate a moment where you just had a really tough day in front of millions of people. So it feels a little more even. I don't know if complacent is theright word, but it's, you know, there's definitely there's not that much variance, which is nice, especially when you have a kid.

Like, a kid definitely brings a lot of variance to your life. So thank goodness it's not at the level that it was, you know, when I was competing at.

Yeah. You've done a few interviews, but not that many, you know, really related to, you know, where you are today. What are you up to today? And, you know, what's getting you most excited in the entrepreneurial, you know, world where all living and business is a pretty crazy timeright now.

So much is changing so quickly.

Yeah, it is. But, you know, I like to be someone that's not focusing on so much about trends and what others are doing and really, you know, making sure that you're focused on what'sright for you, what'sright for your work, and what'sright for your family.

It's easy to get, you know, to feel like the external world and pressures influence your decisions. But yeah, a few weeks ago, I launched my own podcast, and I host a podcast called Pretty Tough. And it's essentially the duality that I played into for so many years of my career where I was, you know, leading a life that was full of grit and strength, perseverance.

But equally, there's a softness to what I did. There's a vulnerability. Now I get to apply that in motherhood. So I've often felt that, you know, individuals have had to choose one way or the other. But I've always believed that you can and you should be both, especially as a woman.

And so, yeah, this podcast, I've interviewed incredible women from all different walks of life that have experienced, you know, hardships, that have experienced victories in different forms, such as Zoe Saldana winning an Oscar. But ultimately, I love the raw, honest stories of these individuals.

And you probably can relate. Like, the best storytelling is, you know, we all know from images or from television, like, the result,right? But what's under that? Like, what's underneath? What is the story that got them to the place where they are?

What is the mentality? What tools did they use? Who was by their side? All those lessons, like, that's how I consume podcasts. And the reason I consume podcasts,right, is to help me grow, is to help me get better, is to educate me, you know, to keep staying curious so that I can learn and apply things in my life and in my business and in motherhood.

So that's kind of like that's the premise of the show. I've been working on it for almost a year now. I'm just so excited that it's out in the world and seeing people consume with the episodes.

The podcast is amazing. I was listening to a few episodes before. And, you know, you're just talking about, like, that the rawness of what makes a great interview and a great, you know, story and all of our storytelling,right?

And you can really see that, you know, if there's one of your guests, you know, talking about a sporting team before it gets sold, when they're about to, like, break down or someone who's just being so, you know, completely honest about what happened, I feel like we're all in this pursuit of, you know, achievement,right?

We're always trying to, you know, strive for bigger and better and better things. How have you learned to become such a great storyteller when there are so many podcasts now out there?

Yeah, it's a great question. I feel like I come from the world of sport where there's no fluff in a result-oriented industry. There is it's very raw. It's very gritty. It's very sweaty. And that is ultimately why fans consume sport,right?

You go into a sporting event, you even if you're not a fan of one individual, you go there thinking I've had a tough day. And you leave there thinking, wow, these several of these athletes just put their heart on the line in front of millions of people and have completely changed my outlook, you know, on my day and on my life.

So I understood the influence of that. And that mentality is what I want to apply to the podcast. Life is it's great when there's, like, rainbows and butterflies and wonderful moments. But equally, life is hard. And it's full of moments where you have to pick yourself back up.

And so I'm not afraid to go there because that's the life I lived. And I think that's what differentiates my approach to the interviews is that I'm willing to ask the tough questions because I know that these guests have, you know, gone through difficult, you know, situations in their life to get to the top because there's it's not a straight line to the top for anyone, no matter what industry you are in.

So that's been I think that's felt refreshing compared to what's out there.

You know, when you speak to these incredible guests, I also think it's so hard to get to

the point you are trying to get to,right? How have you just learned that whole act of, OK, asking amazing questions but getting that, you know, golden nugget of information? Because there are so many amazing creators out there now today, they just don't ask theright questions in theright way.

Well, I don't know if I've, like, perfected that skill. You're making me sound like I'm an expert in the field, but I'm only, you know, I'm only a few episodes in. And, you know, what I keep telling my team is that it's only going to get better.

Like, I love listening to the interview. I usually hate listening to work I've done or even hearing my own voice. But, you know, part of the homework, yeah, part of the homework that I've really enjoyed is, you know, when the episode comes out, like, seeing, you know, seeing all the feedback, seeing the notes, seeing the reviews.

Like, I love that stuff. I'm not, you know, I'm not shy about it. I want to hear what people think. I want to hear about how it can get better. And I also like, like, seeing myself and, like, just elevating that comfort level with guests because when the guest is comfortable, they're going to open up and they're going to share.

And ultimately, you know, I've been on the other side for so many years where you're kind of giving the same answer,right, to a lot of the similar questions. But when you're in the mindset that it's a completely new audience and they may have never, like, listened to the story before, and if you can rephrase it or reframe it in a way that feels, you know, new, honest, and fresh, that always makes for the best interviews.

And anyone consuming a podcast, I mean, we're busy. We don't have time for things that we don't love. So you know fairly quickly if people are into it or not.

You know, I think it's so important as a creator to be part of that whole process,right? If it's from, like, the storytelling, the questions, the editing. I mean, even for us today, I used to be the same as you.

I used to hate listening to, you know, an episode we just done with a massive CEO, but you have to,right? What does the hook look like? How can we ask this question better? What are the thumbnails going to look like on YouTube?

What are the titles going to be? Like, that whole process. But it's so exciting because we're in this new era now where people don't want to listen to the boring daily mails or the legacy media platforms. They want to listen to people like us, hopefully, new media creators.

How excited are you for this space? And have you been surprised just of the uptake of what this, you know, whole category of news and consumption is looking like?

Yeah, I'm not someone that goes, like, into the database and looks into what others are doing or what works for them. I think of it as a consumer myself. What is the story, what is the message that I would find interesting?

And I also want it to feel like it's a one-on-one. Like, there's when I'm interviewing these guests, it's not like I'm feeling like I'm doing it in front of thousands of people that are watching the episode. I want to feel like there's no one in the room, that it's just us and that it's, like, in this intimate atmosphere, even though I know it's consumed by many people.

So yeah, I mean, look, I was I consume many different podcasts about business and wellness. And as I said, you know, earlier on when I was on the massage table all those years doing, like, recovery, my trainer and I would listen endlessly to all podcasts, like What It Takes and How I Built This, mostly business-oriented.

So I, you know, I'm kind of I'm well-versed in the space because I'm a consumer myself. And so I'm also working and building content that I feel like would be interesting for myself as someone that's listened to the space for many years.

It'd be pretty cool if you started doing, you know, is Pretty Tough on tour in front of thousands of people listening to live conversations. I mean, it's a great way to get in front of a new audience and for people to, you know, come and see you.

Yeah, I mean, the podcast space is the first I guess is the first pillar of the Pretty Tough business because, as you know, you know, a podcast isn't just an audio space. It's a video representation. It's a live event vertical.

So there's many pillars in the business, but the audio space was something that we launched with.

How there's this whole thing of AI happening now, and I don't know what you think of it, but it's just changing so much. Do you have much of an opinion on what's happening in AI and are you excited about it?

You know, I've always been interested about things that have the ability to make a big change or a big shift. And whether it's for the better or for the worse, I think that takes time, like, to form that opinion.

There are a lot of, like, in sport, I think there are a lot of positive ways which, you know, AI has been implemented. I mean, when you think about just tennis in particular, about, you know, IBM going into Wimbledon and predicting match outcomes, like, things that just simply did not exist when I was playing.

And what does that do? That brings an entirely new audience, you know, to the game, a fan base that you didn't think, you know, you had. You know, automatic, if someone's watching the match in a country, you know, that doesn't understand English commentary,right?

Like, all of a sudden, that automatic translation is, you know, is an important tool to get fans to watch a match that they didn't find that interesting. So, you know, we're cutting I remember my coach cutting, like, hours and hours of video to create a three-minute tape for me to watch prior to my next match.

You know, that would take him several minutes now,right, where he spent, I mean, every day. I remember him, OK, I'll be done in a minute. I'll be doing now. I just I need to find this one, you know, this shot where he she had a forehand down the line.

I want to show it to you. Like, now he just typed that in and he have an immediate video. So all of that has been, I mean, much improved to the benefit of a lot of players and teams.

But there's obviously the other side of the business and where that goes. Who knows?

It's early days. I mean, ChatGPT, I don't know. Have you tried it?

Yeah.

Are you a fan? Are you do you, like.

I've done it occasionally, not frequently. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I'm I mean, I was at dinner the other day and, like, my, you know, we were talking about astrology signs. You know, usually it's something that you, like, pick up when you get home and you, like, get the book out of astrology or, you know, all those numbers.

But now it's, like, at the dinner table. It's so easily accessible. You ask a question and there it is.

You know, one of the biggest things I think AI is going to potentially, you know, change or make better worlds for us, like, you know, content creators would both kind of, you know, doing similar things,right, is you just don't know what's real or what's, you know, fake anymore.

I read a report, you know, not so long ago that especially for newsletters, even some of these top newsletters on Substack, you know, something like 25, 30 percent is just all written by AI. It was also, I think, the Wall Street Journal or, sorry, New York Times maybe a few days ago, they've now disencouraged all of their employees and they've terminated, I think, all freelancers who use AI's contracts.

Just what happens? I mean, is this a good thing for, you know, content creators?

Yeah, I actually we launched Substack with Pretty Tough and I started doing voice notes and voice memos on Substack directly. It was just a fun way to, like, engage with fans and just have a real representation of, you know, my thoughts and feedback on the episode and the guests that I have.

And I think ultimately, when something is auto-produced so often, anything that you can do to make it feel like there's a human element to, you know, the workplace. So I've just I've personally been trying to stay creative in how I how I interact and engage with the fan base.

And yeah, that's something that I've learned, you know, as through social media while I was playing is, like, that connection with a fan is everything,right? That's immediate feedback. So when they feel like they're part of your journey, whether for me it was while I was playing or now as a podcaster, it's nice to know that you kind of have that honest rapport with someone.

Yeah, I also wonder, you know, you've been in so many press conferences over the years. You know, many of those legacy media type of publications, you know, they're becoming kind of less relevant. The ones which are the people who are becoming more relevant is, you know, hopefully, people are like us and there's going to be, you know, sporting creators are doing something similar.

Are we just going to go to a world potentially where the future Wimbledon press conference is just going to be filled with amazing content creators focusing on sport? Hopefully. I haven't been to Wimbledon yet. Maybe at some point.

Yeah, there's definitely a shift. The shift that I see is a lot of talent are their own creators. And so they're building, you know, their own media platforms, whether it's through, you know, production companies, whether, you know, it's through documentaries that they have control over.

But there seems to be more, you know, more engagement and control. And, you know, there's also that gray line between how much is too much control over, you know, your own produced media back to, like, being raw and honest.

You know, what is the fine line between controlling a narrative but also giving, you know, giving consumers an honest point of view?

Do you miss those press conferences? Wimbledon, US Open, all those amazing.

It was actually part of the business that I really enjoyed. I felt like I grew, you know, and I matured a lot by having to show up and having, like, a certain responsibility of, you know, of doing a press conference.

Yeah, I never, like, shied away from it. I don't think I ever I think the only time I skipped I skipped a couple one when I tore, like, my hip and then another when I was ill. So I always showed up, like, even the toughest moments because a lot of the journalists that travel to, you know, to these events on the tour are journalists that are on the road with us.

Like, they are covering every event. So I also just felt like there was a responsibility to be professional in those rooms and show up for them because that is their job. You know, they're the first ones at the courts and the last ones leaving.

So there's just an element of, like, showing up in order for them to do their work.

I've only seen a few clips of these press conferences. I've never been to one, you know, in person yet. But one of the things I always find so bizarre sometimes, a journalist has one question to ask, but it'll be the, like, silliest, stupidest question they're going to ask.

Do you not get super frustrated? I'm like, why are you asking such a random question?

No, I find it fun.

You're fine with it.

Yeah, I don't. I don't take that, you know, too seriously. I think everyone has a responsibility and a job. And obviously, they don't take things out of line. And, you know, I actually, there was something about reflecting in a press conference about the match because usually you show up at the press conference, like, 20 minutes or in an hour after the match is over.

So you are still, like, forming your thoughts on how the match played out, win or lose. So sometimes when a, you know, a journalist would ask a question, it would feel like, oh, yeah, I didn't actually, like, see that,right?

I haven't had the time to think of the match in that way. But yeah, it is what it is.

When you do finish the match, is it literally you go to the go to the restroom, bathroom, have a just get ready and then go straight into the press conference? Is that basically how it works?

I usually I like to do my press conference last in the routine because I first thing is eat, second is, you know, get on the bike to, you know, do 20 or 30 minutes of recovery, probably another 20 minutes of, like, active stretching, you know, your shower, you have a snack, and then go into the press conference.

So it was usually, like, an hour after the match. But every player is different. Sometimes they'd like to get it out of the way. But I focused on recovery first.

And then once the press conference is done, you can go out and eat what the hell you like, hopefully.

Well, once the tournament's done.

Once the tournament's done. How have you found reflecting back on everything that's happened? Now you've, you know, reinvented yourself a little bit. You've come from this amazing, you know, tennis, you know, incredible kind of career. Now, you know, we're now here as a founder, investor, content creator.

Do you much prefer this side or do you still miss, you know, the tennis side?

I'm always an athlete of heart, no matter what I do. You know, so many of the attributes and the things that I the takeaways, the learnings I apply. Like, my mindset is one of an athlete,right? It's competitive. It's ferocious.

It's yeah, I don't you know, and it's also now as a mother, it's also motherly,right, and having, like, that balance between the two, which has been it's been really fun to navigate because, as I said, I love to work and I, you know, I love contributing and I love having a voice and having a passion for things that make me happy.

I think that's equally important, you know, when you come back home and you feel like you've worked on yourself and you now get to apply and your kid gets to see, like, you know, a version of you that feels proud is also nice.

I know it's been a nice juggling act.

How do you manage the juggling act with family life and work? You know, what do you like to do in your spare time when you have some?

It kind of depends. It kind of depends what my family and my husband is up to. You know, I still, like, love to travel the world and love to explore. And there's an element of, like, being in new places and the uncertainty, like, uncomfortable.

Like, that's always fun to me. So anytime I have, like, a long weekend off, I grab a few of my girlfriends or my husband and I, we go on a trip and just somewhere new, somewhere unique, somewhere that, like, just opens our opens our perspective on life and a new culture with new food.

And now with our son, I mean, it's very dependent on his schedule and his preschool and, yeah, all of those daily life responsibilities.

There's something about traveling when you just go to a new country, you just kind of, like, allude a little to. You don't know anything. If you don't know the language, it's almost better to go with no phone. I know it sounds a bit intimidating.

Almost better to go with no phone.

You know what? I go with the phone.

And just work it out, you know?

I like to be overprepared. Even when I go to a new place, I'm like, where am I going to eat?

I can see that.

It always starts with food.

I can see that. Where is the one is there a country you still want to visit where you haven't been?

So I well, several. Even though I've been to Australia, I don't feel like I've explored Australia as well as I wanted to. Africa, I had an amazing trip to Africa a few years ago and I just long to get back.

I'm waiting for my son to be a little bit older because it was my trip to Rwanda was one of the most breathtaking trips, like seeing the gorillas in person. I keep referencing that story to my son and he's probably like, is this like an imaginary trip?

Yeah, this element of discovery, you know, of being in a place. I also love to hike. So, like, every, you know, when I'm in the mountains, whether it's in the Dolomites, I had a beautiful, beautiful trip earlier this year to the Dolomites and I've never been there.

Like, a lot of my friends are surprised I haven't been to certain parts of the world. And I'm like, well, I, you know, I competed in the same cities over and over. So I'm not surprised, but they are.

You should come to Asia at some point. There is so much to see, so much hiking, so many magical places to see and it's so big as well.

Yep, I should.

At some point. Okay, so one of the final parts we'd like to do on this episode is to ask rapid-fire questions, but we should call this Pretty Tough Questions. You ask your guests Pretty Tough Questions. So I'm going to, you know, reverse the cards as I stand.

That sounds great.

What do you want to be remembered for?

What do I want to be remembered for?

Someone that is honest, stays true to themselves, gives 100%, shows up on time and says, "Please and thank you." That's the first thing that came to mind. So I think I'd have a more elaborate answer if I had more time.

Maybe reversing the card, what don't you want to be remembered for?

Oh.

I guess all the opposite of what I just said.

Easy answer.

Someone that's

lazy and not up for a challenge, that doesn't ask enough questions.

Which tennis icon do you most admire?

Oh. Which tennis icon do you most admire? Growing up, I deeply admired Monica Sellis and Stuffy Graff. So I'm going to go with those two.

I love it. Your closest tennis style friend who you call up for a chat just about life?

Wow. Perhaps it was Serena.

She did something quite special for you,right, recently?

Yes. She yep, she introduced me into the tennis hall of fame.

When you thought about who to introduce you, did Serena just come to mind straight away?

Yeah. Yeah, I

just thought it would be a really strong moment for sport, you know, of two players that fought ferociously for so many years to have that moment on stage. And yeah, I was so happy when she said yes.

The tribute was so beautiful and it almost feels that there is actually no tension. There's actually a really true friendship there.

Yeah. I mean, it was all respect. I mean, it was always respect,right? There's it's pretty hard to go about a career for over 15 years when you are, you know, when you're getting in the way of each other's trophies ultimately.

Yeah, to feel like, you know, there's a moment on stage where you were really proud of each other's success.

Maybe this is a similar answer, but who did you have the most pressure actually playing against?

Oh, the most pressure? Definitely Serena because she puts that pressure on you. She's, you know, she has I mean, her track record, her game, her power, consistency of being at the top.

And what makes you tough?

Oh. What makes me tough?

What makes me tough is

the ability to say no. I've learned over the course of my career and life that no gets you to better places than always being someone that accepts and says yes. It opens up more doors and it also preserves an element of your life and an element of privacy that I also think is important for everyone.

Well, we're cheering you on from the sidelines and from the courts. We can't wait to see where you're going next. And the podcast is amazing. That's exactly why, you know, we wanted to have you on when we were chatting a few weeks ago.

So if anyone listening, download the podcast on all podcasting platforms. We'll put it in the notes below. And Maria, we can't thank you enough. So thank you so much for coming on the show.

Thank you for having me. Yeah, for anyone that listens to the podcast, please review and comment. I love hearing feedback. I'm someone that really engages in the feedback and wants to make it even better. So thank you.

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