{"id":143371,"date":"2023-09-22T11:56:08","date_gmt":"2023-09-22T11:56:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebritywshow.com\/?p=143371"},"modified":"2023-09-22T11:56:08","modified_gmt":"2023-09-22T11:56:08","slug":"former-worlds-sexiest-tennis-star-reveals-shock-new-career-as-she-prepares-to-compete-in-star-studded-tournament-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebritywshow.com\/sport\/former-worlds-sexiest-tennis-star-reveals-shock-new-career-as-she-prepares-to-compete-in-star-studded-tournament-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Former world\u2019s sexiest tennis star reveals shock new career as she prepares to compete in star-studded tournament | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>THREE YEARS after hanging up her tennis shoes to enjoy some time away from the court, Maria Sharapova has revealed a shock move for a new career. <\/p>\n<p>The former world No1 isn&#x27;t straying too far from her strengths though as she ventures into the world of pickleball. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/russias-maria-sharapova-holds-suzane-97226373.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>The hugely popular sport is very similar to Tennis, but takes place on a smaller court with plastic paddles and a perforated, hollowed out plastic ball.<\/p>\n<p>Sharapova has announced she will be taking part in the second ever Pickleball Slam early next year. <\/p>\n<p>She will play alongside fellow legend John McEnroe as they take on Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf in a doubles match next February.<\/p>\n<p>The former tennis heroes aren&#x27;t the only ones making a switch to pickleball either with a whole host of other tennis players making the jump to play the fast growing sport. <\/p>\n<h2><span>READ MORE TENNIS NEWS<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/newspress-collage-23774098-1693749856465.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h3>Former Wimbledon champ totally unrecognisable as she dazzles working at US Open<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/VP-COMP-SKYBET-v3.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h3>Get \u00a330 in FREE BETS when you place any amount on any sports market with Sky Bet<\/h3>\n<p>Sharapova, who was previously dubbed as the world&#x27;s sexiest tennis player, announced her participation in a video online.<\/p>\n<p>She said: &quot;I&#x27;m playing pickleball and not just any pickleball. I am playing with John McEnroe against Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Dare I say I&#x27;m getting a little competitive and slightly nervous and anxious.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The match offers up an eye-watering \u00a3816,000 prize for the winning team and will take place at the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida. <\/p>\n<h2>Most read in Sport<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Untitled-design-24.jpg\"><\/picture><span>GONE TOO SOON <\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Tragedy as Sheffield United star dies at 27 after signing new deal<\/h3>\n<p><\/span><span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2018-premier-leagues-broadcast-deal-426607226.jpg\"><\/picture><span>FINAL WHISTLE <\/span><\/p>\n<h3>BBC deny iconic football show under threat after huge drop in viewing figures<\/h3>\n<p><\/span><span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/tp-composite-de-gea.jpg\"><\/picture><span>De-saster <\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Man Utd stars FUMING at treatment of De Gea as Onana&#8217;s nightmare continues<\/h3>\n<p><\/span><span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/DF-SPORT-PREVIEW-WEST-HAM.jpg\"><\/picture><span>HAMMERING IT DOWN <\/span><\/p>\n<h3>West Ham&#8217;s London Stadium hit by flooding with bars completely swamped<\/h3>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>CASINO SPECIAL &#8211; BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/captain-john-mcenroe-team-world-846799035.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>The first event took place in April of this year when McEnroe was joined by Michael Chang in a match against Agassi and Andy Roddick.<\/p>\n<p>Sharapova&#x27;s participation follows the news of Eugenie Bouchard&#x27;s switch to pickleball with the 2014 Wimbledon finalist signing up to play the sport next year.<\/p>\n<p>Former world number eight men&#x27;s tennis player Jack Sock has also made the move to play the American sport.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/eugenie-bouchard-canada-reacts-fans-828413589.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/us-player-jack-sock-serves-744243941.jpg\"><br \/>\nSource: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/sport\/24085060\/tennis-maria-sharapova-pickleball-john-mcenroe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>THREE YEARS after hanging up her tennis shoes to enjoy some time away from the court, Maria Sharapova has revealed a shock move for a&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":143370,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - 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