Unrecognizable Wimbledon winner named 'world's hottest athlete' reappears at final
Unrecognizable Wimbledon winner named 'world's hottest athlete' reappears at final
Sahil Kurup Mon, July 13, 2026 at 10:12 PM UTC
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Maria Sharapova attended the Wimbledon final (Image: Getty)
Maria Sharapova became a global superstar at Wimbledon as a teenager, but more than two decades after her historic triumph at SW19, the former champion continues to attract attention away from the court.
The five-time Grand Slam winner returned to the All England Lawn Tennis Club for the 2026 Wimbledon women's final, where she turned heads with an elegant Royal Box appearance and showcased a very different look from the one fans remember from her playing days.
Sharapova, now 39, watched Czech star Linda Noskova defeat Karolína Muchova in an all-Czech final to claim her first Grand Slam title. But before Noskova lifted the trophy, the retired Russian star, who recently opened up on her relationship with longtime rival Serena Williams, was among the biggest talking points inside Centre Court.
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The former Wimbledon champion stunned in an all-white outfit, wearing a cream skirt and white blouse while carrying a brown Louis Vuitton handbag.
Sharapova's Wimbledon connection began in 2004 when, at just 17 years old, she defeated two-time defending champion Serena Williams in the final to win her first Grand Slam title.
The victory turned Sharapova into one of tennis' biggest stars overnight, with her powerful game and trademark blonde hair becoming instantly recognizable around the world.
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Sharapova was known for her blonde hair (Image: Getty)
Since retiring from tennis in 2020, however, Sharapova has undergone a dramatic transformation, swapping her famous blonde locks for a brunette style that has left fans describing her as "unrecognizable."
Sharapova's career saw her complete one of tennis' greatest achievements by winning all four Grand Slam titles. After Wimbledon, she added the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008, and two French Open titles in 2012 and 2014.
She also became world No. 1 for 21 weeks, won an Olympic silver medal at the 2012 London Games, and finished her career with five major championships.
Away from tennis, Sharapova became one of the most marketable athletes in the world. She was named the "hottest athlete in the world" by Maxim magazine for four consecutive years during the 2000s and built a successful business career through endorsements and investments.
Her career was not without controversy. In 2016, Sharapova received a 15-month suspension after testing positive for meldonium at the Australian Open. She accepted responsibility for the violation while saying she had been unaware the substance had been added to the banned list.
Sharapova retired four years later after a series of shoulder injuries affected her ability to compete at the highest level. In her farewell message, she said tennis had been her "mountain" but admitted her body had "become a distraction."
Sharapova returned to Wimbledon the following day for the men's final between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev, once again drawing attention from fans who watched her dominate Centre Court more than 20 years earlier.
Source: “AOL Sports”
