Maria Sharapova has lost to Serena Williams 18 straight times and counting. (Michael Dufour/ WireImage/Getty Images)
Man, Serena Williams really gets under Maria Sharapova’s skin.
In an excerpt from her upcoming memoir, “Unstoppable: My Life So Far,” the Russian tennis player describes 23-time Grand Slam winner Williams in what folks are calling racially tinged terms.
“First of all, her physical presence is much stronger and bigger than you realize watching TV,” The Daily Mail reported Sharapova wrote. “She has thick arms and thick legs and is so intimidating and strong. It’s the whole thing — her presence, her confidence, her personality … Even now, she can make me feel like a little girl.”
And that wasn’t all. To get insight on just how smug Sharapova is about her one-sided rivalry, peep this next passage about when she caught Williams sobbing after she lost at Wimbledon in 2004.
“I think Serena hated me for being the skinny kid who beat her, against all odds, at Wimbledon,” The Daily Mail reports Sharapova wrote. “I think she hated me for taking something that she believed belonged to her. I think she hated me for seeing her at her lowest moment. But mostly, I think she hated me for hearing her cry. She’s never forgiven me for it.”
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It’s doubtful Williams would care about these revelations. The tennis superstar recently welcomed a baby girl with her fiancé, while Sharapova fell to the No. 16 seed Anastasija Sevastova 5–7, 6–4, 6–2 Sunday, Sept. 3.
But many Twitter users care a lot and they’re not afraid to show it.
Sharapova’s description is dripping with covert racism and disdain. It’s really despicable. Perpetuating this idea she’s big and scary.
— J-Sun (@SUN_Of_Uhhh) September 7, 2017
She couldn't even dope her way to second place so she built her career off the poor, pretty white girl vs the big, black monster narrative.
— Upper-Poor (@_sarah_smile) September 7, 2017
I'm here at my desk trying not to string together curses on this girl in front of my co-workers. https://t.co/NJLKfciIzI
— Elle "Stats" Harmony (@noelleharmony) September 6, 2017
Maria Sharapova doped up for ten years to lose 18 times to Serena so she could write a book blaming it on Serena's thick arms & legs. pic.twitter.com/CZvURt9hDG
— X (@XLNB) September 7, 2017
One person, however, thought Sharapova had a point.
https://twitter.com/grandmxrnier/status/905784125927411714
But others weren’t here for it.
Lets be real, Maria Sharapova looks at Serena the same way Trump looks at Obama; intimidated by greatness they got Russians to help em cheat
— Cyrus McQueen (@CyrusMMcQueen) September 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/notallbhas/status/905868229997981697
