After Maria Sharapova announced her retirement on Wednesday morning, Ben is joined by Tumaini Carayol of The Guardian for an emergency episode to discuss her career and its many highs, lows, and controversies.
After expressing some relief that she's stopped, we discuss what made Sharapova keep pushing on through the pain so long, and also what our early memories of her career were. We discuss her arrival as a star, and then the darkening of that when she tested positive for a newly-banned substance in early 2016, which complicated and muddled a career which was already likely on its downhill.
We also share some of our favorite memories of Maria, and what made her such a tremendously satisfying antagonist on the tour--particularly for Serena Williams, whom she was a distant second behind in the end.
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Episode 277i: 2020 French Open Day 9 - Quarterfinal Previews (With Reem Abulleil)
Episode 277h: 2020 French Open Day 8 - Halep Falls; Zverev Ails
Episode 277g: 2020 French Open Day 7 - Different Faces, Different Voices
Episode 277f: 2020 French Open Day 6 - Barbora Krejcikova, Making It on Her Own
Episode 277e: 2020 French Open Day 5 - Hot Take-Off (with Alex Gruskin)
Episode 277d: 2020 French Open Day 4 - Exits and Arrivals
Episode 277c: 2020 French Open Day 3 - Fun With Props with Ricky Dimon
Episode 277b: 2020 French Open Day 2 - Alexander Bublik Bursts Monfils' Bubble
Episode 277a: 2020 French Open Day 1 - The British Are...Leaving
Episode 276: Draw Me Like One of Your French Opens, 2020
Episode 275b: Original 9 - Kristy Pigeon
Episode 275a: Original 9 - 50th Anniversary Approaches
Episode 274: In a Roomy Rome
Episode 273o: 2020 U.S. Open Day 14 - Under Pressure, Thiem Outlasts Zverev
Episode 273n: 2020 U.S. Open Day 13 - Naomi Osaka's Statement Win
Episode 273m: 2020 U.S. Open Day 12 - Zverev & Thiem are Last Men Standing
Episode 273l: U.S. Open Day 11 - Azarenka & Osaka Win Semifinal Showstoppers
Episode 273k: 2020 U.S. Open Day 10 - Mary Carillo and the Final Fours
Episode 273j: 2020 U.S. Open Day 9 - Pam Shriver's Distance Learning
Episode 273i: 2020 U.S. Open Day 8 - Quarterfinals!
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