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‘You need to know everything’

Success stories are always meant to inspire. But no one would have anticipated that a young lad, who was forced…

‘You need to know everything’

Maria Sharapova with her book Unstoppable: My life so far (Photo: Facebook)

Success stories are always meant to inspire. But no one would have anticipated that a young lad, who was forced to flee to Sochi in Russia after the lethal Chernobyl nuclear in 1986, would become a “tennis father” ~ of Russian tennis sensation, Maria Sharapova. In her autobiography, Unstoppable ~ My life so far, Maria Sharapova, or MaSha, as she was named by the Americans, has presented an account of her journey, mistakes, rivalries, sacrifice and survival with a combative, no holds barred attitude, just like her game.

From the inception, this book completely allows a reader to take a deep dive into the emotions of a father, who sees his dream in the eyes of his daughter. Maria’s father, YuriYudrin, saw a tennis star in a tiny blond girl with knobby knees. To say this autobiography is that of Maria Sharapova would be a little wrong. This autobiography is also of YuriYudrin, who in the middle of a night decided to embark upon a journey to the US with his four-year-old daughter, leaving behind a worried mother, realising the perils of being in an unknown land, which was always amalgamated with the risk shattering the dreams of MaSha as well.

A father and a daughter appeared first on the tennis scene when both of them stepped off a Greyhound bus in Florida and headed straight for the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. They had arrived from Russia with just 700 dollars and the conviction that this six-year-old girl, would become the world’s next great tennis star.

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The story is gripping and MaSha is fearless.Tennis lovers have always known Maria as a 6 feet 2 inches tall Russian, howling at every shot she hit, sending the ball to the opponent’s court like a fire with a fearless attitude. In this account she has made it it very clear about her strategy ~ to hit and win. As one moves through the chapters, many layers are revealed ~ where one would find Maria standing and facing the vulnerabilities of womanhood as well.

Maria’s father had always struggled to arrange for money for her training and coped by taking up odd jobs. The book also includes some events, where the father and the daughter were thrown out of tennis academies but were later helped by locals. The financial woes finally came to an end when Maria was signed by the IMG sports academy. Maria’s life is a journey in itself.

The attitude, painted with courage and boldness, is a major reason behind her success. MaSha herself writes, “What’s defined my game more than anything? Determination, tenacity. I do not quit. Knock me down ten times, I get up the 11th and shove that yellow ball right back at you. This will not beat me and this will not be my last word. To understand me you need to know who I am, you need to know everything.”

Her inspiring journey is a melange of claps and hoots. At the age of 17, this girl defeated Serena Williams to become the Wimbledon champion; she also received flak as her career came to a halt when she was banned for 15 months for doping. Interestingly, one would find stories of both Serena Williams and Sharapova are interwined. Maria, who once watched Serena practising at the Nick Bollettieri’s academy, later defeated her to claim her first Grand slam victory. From the inception, this autobiography presents MaSha as a champion, not because she has won numerous trophies but she has given an honest brief of the inner turmoils, which is inspiring. This book is a little of an inspiring story and more of a champion’s guide to success. Maria has faced everything at a very young age ~ the vulnerabilities of an uncertain life, burden of a tennis father’s dreams, and the conspiracies that always revolve around a star. With her powerful backhands and shorthands, she hit back everything and dared courageously to stand tall against a giant wall ~ the William sisters. If one wants tofigure out the mantra behind young MaSha’s immense talent, it should be as taught by her tennis guru Robert Lansdorp’s strategytohit ~ short, flat and just above the net and that’s what she did.

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