![Sharapova, age 14, plays her first professional tournament in March 2002. She defeated Brie Rippner at the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, California.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160307131745-01-maria-debut-2002.jpg?q=w_1889,h_1062,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Sharapova, age 14, plays her first professional tournament in March 2002. She defeated Brie Rippner at the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, California.
![Sharapova holds up her trophy after she won Wimbledon in July 2004. The 17-year-old defeated Serena Williams in the final for her first Grand Slam title.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160307132013-02-maria-2004-wimbledon.jpg?q=w_1979,h_2500,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Sharapova holds up her trophy after she won Wimbledon in July 2004. The 17-year-old defeated Serena Williams in the final for her first Grand Slam title.
![Sharapova serves during the 2006 U.S. Open semifinals. She advanced to beat Justine Henin in the final. It was her second Grand Slam title.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160307150215-maria-sharapova-u-s-open.jpg?q=w_3000,h_2031,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Sharapova serves during the 2006 U.S. Open semifinals. She advanced to beat Justine Henin in the final. It was her second Grand Slam title.
![Sharapova is given a painting from the Children of Chernobyl Foundation in July 2007. That year, she became a U.N. global ambassador focused on the Chernobyl Recovery and Development Program.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160307142616-maria-sharapova-chernobyl.jpg?q=w_3000,h_2262,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Sharapova is given a painting from the Children of Chernobyl Foundation in July 2007. That year, she became a U.N. global ambassador focused on the Chernobyl Recovery and Development Program.
![Sharapova won her third major title at the 2008 Australian Open.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160307143615-maria-sharapova-australian-open-2008.jpg?q=w_3000,h_1901,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Sharapova won her third major title at the 2008 Australian Open.
![Off the court, Sharapova has become a fashion icon and a popular spokeswoman for many major companies. Her endorsements have included Nike, Gatorade, Canon and Cole Haan.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160307133407-08-maria-model-cole-haan.jpg?q=w_2000,h_1125,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Off the court, Sharapova has become a fashion icon and a popular spokeswoman for many major companies. Her endorsements have included Nike, Gatorade, Canon and Cole Haan.
![Sharapova falls to her knees after winning the 2012 French Open to complete the career Grand Slam. She also won the French Open in 2014.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160307134204-06-maria-french-open-2012.jpg?q=w_4735,h_2664,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Sharapova falls to her knees after winning the 2012 French Open to complete the career Grand Slam. She also won the French Open in 2014.
![Sharapova, left, at the London 2012 Olympic medal ceremony at Wimbledon with Serena Williams, center, and Victoria Azarenka. Sharapova finished with the silver after losing to Williams in the final.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160307132920-07-maria-london-olympics.jpg?q=w_3924,h_2656,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Sharapova, left, at the London 2012 Olympic medal ceremony at Wimbledon with Serena Williams, center, and Victoria Azarenka. Sharapova finished with the silver after losing to Williams in the final.
![Sharapova carries the Olympic torch in Sochi, Russia, during the opening ceremony for the 2014 Winter Olympics.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160307145201-maria-sharapova-sochi.jpg?q=w_2999,h_2138,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Sharapova carries the Olympic torch in Sochi, Russia, during the opening ceremony for the 2014 Winter Olympics.
![A shopper in Shanghai, China, walks past a Nike advertisement featuring Sharapova.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160307143143-maria-sharapova-advertisement.jpg?q=w_4000,h_2666,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
A shopper in Shanghai, China, walks past a Nike advertisement featuring Sharapova.
![Sharapova signs autographs after winning a match at last year's Australian Open. She later announced she had tested positive for banned drug meldonium and was banned for two years, later reduced to 15 months.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/160307142804-maria-sharapova-autograph.jpg?q=w_3610,h_2586,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Sharapova signs autographs after winning a match at last year's Australian Open. She later announced she had tested positive for banned drug meldonium and was banned for two years, later reduced to 15 months.