Maria Sharapova: From Wimbledon icon to $220 million business powerhouse

For millions of tennis fans, Maria Sharapova will forever be the young blonde sensation who stunned the world by winning Wimbledon at just 17 and quickly became one of the most recognizable athletes globally. Today, at 38, the former world No. 1 appears far more often in boardrooms and at investment conferences than on the tennis court.

According to Forbes, Sharapova’s net worth approaches $220 million, with the majority of her fortune earned off the court. Throughout her career, she signed dozens of high-profile endorsement deals with brands like Nike, Porsche, Tiffany & Co., and Evian. For 11 consecutive years, she was the highest-paid active female tennis player, earning over $300 million from sponsorships alone.

From Athlete to Investor

After retiring from professional tennis, Sharapova didn’t fade into the background. She studied management and leadership at Harvard Business School, quickly proving her strategic acumen matches her tennis skills. One of her earliest successes was investing in the sunscreen brand Supergoop!, which was later acquired for $750 million by investment giant Blackstone.

Today, her investment portfolio is diverse: fitness startups like Tonal, women’s health projects such as Cofertility (an egg-freezing service), fintech platforms like MoonPay and Public, the footwear brand Wolf & Shepherd, and even television ventures including Shark Tank. Sharapova also serves as an independent director at Moncler Group, overseeing Moncler and Stone Island, and advises Therabody, the maker of the iconic Theragun massage devices.

Real Estate Empire and Stylish Life
Sharapova’s personal assets are equally impressive, including luxury homes in California, Montecito, and an elite Manhattan property recently sold to NBA star Luka Dončić for a record $25 million.

The Mystery of Sugarpova

One of the most intriguing chapters of her business journey is her candy brand, Sugarpova, launched in 2012. Despite initial skepticism — a professional athlete selling sweets seemed odd — the brand quickly became successful, generating $25 million in annual revenue and reaching 30 countries. Sharapova actively promoted the brand, even planning to temporarily change her surname to Sugarpova during the US Open.

However, the company unexpectedly ceased operations in 2021. At its peak, Sugarpova was valued at $187 million, but no official statement about its closure was released. The website is inactive, social media accounts are silent, and U.S. trademarks were canceled in 2024. Whether this is a permanent shutdown or merely a pause remains unclear.

A Second Life for the Champion

Today, Maria Sharapova is more than a former sports star. She exemplifies how a brief athletic career can evolve into a thriving business empire. Given her ambition and intuition, the most exciting chapters of her post-tennis life are likely still ahead.