Tennis greats have been a part of the tennis world for nearly 20 years. Maria Sharapova As a souvenir, she collected five Grand Slams and travelled to all corners of the globe with her racquet. So when she retired in 2020, she let go of her baggage—quite literally.
The 38-year old said: “I used a lot bags when I traveled because my job required me to carry a lot.” Travel + Leisure. “One of my favorite aspects of retirement is that I get to do what I love. traveling with a carry-on. Traveling light is liberating, even if it makes me feel as if I’ve under-packed.
These days, her favorite moments are also low-key. “Now, I love hotel baths, because I can’t take a proper bath when I am at home. Especially with my son.” she said. She calls bathing an art. The morning cup is equally important. She confessed, “I am a coffee connoisseur,” and hopped through the shops of every place she visited.
Just last weekend, she discovered Springline Coffee Newport, Rhode Island was “very delicious”, in an “amazing setting, right on a bay.”
The coastal town was not just about the tasty brew. Sharapova had no idea what she was getting into when she moved to Florida from her native Russia in order to train at the just seven years old in 1995 She’d be able to find her way along the coast exactly 30 years after that. International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF). She has just been inducted as one of 2025’s inductees and cemented her place in tennis in the new Hall of Famers GalleryUnveiled in May,.
“I love going to the museum,” she said about the historic site where the Newport Casino is located. precursor to the U.S. Open was first played in 1881. “You really appreciate the evolution of the game, whether it is the clothing or shoes that were worn, or the racquets, strings, or balls used—you’re able to witness it all in one space.”
Maria Sharapova
Where can I order room service?
Pasta bolognese.
Dream travel destinations still on your bucket list?
Bhutan!
Who is the best travel partner for a tennis player?
Now it’s Serena now!
Favorite tennis venue?
Arthur Ashe [at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center] Stadium Court is the name of the tennis court at Wimbledon.
What is your favorite city to play tennis in?
New York. It’s the energy. Although I try to be present and listen to as few voices as possible, I have learned to adapt to and understand the New York City audience and use their energy to my advantage. The crowd helped me to get through the toughest of matches, even when I wasn’t at my best. A night match at the U.S. Open—there’s nothing like it!
Among the tennis champion-turned-entrepreneur’s favorite displays are the Nike dresses she wore, as well as the branded tennis cans. “I’m a brand builder, and seeing that visual and creative aspect gave me many ideas,” said the tennis champion-turned-entrepreneur.
It was the surprise that she had been keeping for months. She asked the woman who has been her closest rival in tennis for nearly 15 years. Serena WilliamsIntroduce her.
Dakota Moyer/International Tennis Hall of Fame
Sharapova admits that the surprise was “a full circle moment”. “I was inspired as a girl when I first saw her playing with Venus. Their strength and talent were amazing. After facing Serena so many times, I am now inducted into the Hall of Fame by her.
Ironically, their famous rivalry began to cool behind the scenes as they began to talk more freely without the weight of the scoreboard hanging over them. The two discovered they had more in common than they realized, and even that they could be friends. Their playful jabs towards each other during the Met Gala showed this. Sharapova confirmed that Williams stayed after the ceremony to celebrate with her.
Famous for her laser-focused grit and grind—whether it was playing at Wimbledon (her favorite Grand Slam), the Stuttgart Open (her other favorite tournament), or New York (her favorite city to play in)—Sharapova didn’t have much time to travel for fun until more recently. She said that she only began taking vacations at the age of 20. This was in the middle of her career. The tennis tour schedule always allowed for one week of vacation in November, after the last tournament in Asia. She made the most of the opportunity, making numerous trips to Thailand and Indonesia. Her favorite was Japan.
She visited Japan recently and stayed in all three of the hotels. Aman Resorts—Aman Tokyo, Aman Kyoto. Amanemu in Ise-Shima—as part of her role as the brand’s global wellness ambassador. She was impressed by both properties, but the Tokyo one stood out for her. It was “amazing, it’s like another level of customer service.” She loved its Japanese breakfast, and also the traditional baths.
Aman Resorts
She said that she needed to be in the outdoor hot springs on her own, as soon as possible.
Her love of Aman hotels stems from her time on the road. So, this partnership represents another moment in which everything has come full circle. I would take my mother and friends to different Aman hotels every season in my limited free time. “To now align all the things I put into my career to my partnership with Aman was really special.”
Julian Finney/Getty Images
Her post-court lifestyle also includes embracing nature. Although she acknowledged that jet lag is “still difficult to overcome,” she chose to connect with nature as her first step. Sharapova explained that she loves to walk or run barefoot, especially on grass. “I used to run or walk barefoot on grass as part of my rehabilitation when I was playing. There are a few things I’ve learned in retirement.”
She is also hoping to continue to enjoy quiet travel. This includes road trips. She says she loves “the freedom” of stopping to take pictures and “the control you have over your destination.” One of her favorite roadtrips is up the California coastlineThe farm-to table food culture is “even better than it used to be years ago.” She pauses to admit, “I say it as if this is something I do very often.” I don’t. “But I’ve done it and I love it.”
Sharapova’s main priority these days is her three-year-old son Theodore. Even though he stays with her family when she travels on business, the toddler has definitely had his passport stamp. One of the most memorable vacations was a family trip to the Bahamas. trip to Greece This summer. She said, “He is now at an age where he can swim a bit more independently.” “When you see that progress, it makes you a proud mother. You say, ‘Oh you don’t even need floats. You can do it all by yourself.’
Although long flights can be challenging for her little one, this is a new way of traveling that she has adopted. The pro advised: “You have to accept that it won’t be as smooth as it would like and know that you will be happier on the other end of it.”
Sharapova loves the chance to show him around the world. She said that travel had a positive impact on her and she wanted to pass this spirit onto her son. Sharapova explained that when you are in an unfamiliar culture, it is easier to embrace the unknown, be it a new language or a different food culture. It’s a healthy distraction. You get out of your routine. It challenges your thinking, as you are used to living a certain lifestyle, but then you visit a different country or state where they do things differently. They may cook differently or shop for groceries in a different way, or even their art might be completely different. It is exciting to explore and open your mind.
