Maria Sharapova’s agent Max Eisenbud admitted that he was blown with the Russian’s “intensity” when he first crossed paths with her many years ago.
During an appearance on The Functional Tennis Podcast, Eisenbud spoke about how he first met Sharapova at the IMG Academy in Florida. The agent said the Russian’s energy and determination caught him by surprise.
“I can remember watching her practice the first day I saw her,” Eisenbud said. “I’ve never seen that intensity, 45 minutes of the ball never hitting the net, and I was just blown away, this girl was so skinny and intense.”
Eisenbud also revealed that he helped the Sharapova family through a tough period early on, thereby gaining their trust. He said he was happy to have served as the former World No. 1’s agent ever since.
“They (Sharapova’s family) were having some visa issues and different things, I was just there in the right time. I got to know them, build a relationship with her father, start playing tennis with her. After 6 months, they were really relying on me, and the rest is history, and I’m still her manager to this day,” he added.
“I would call him the gold standard of developing a young player” – Max Eisenbud on Maria Sharapova’s fatherMaria Sharapova celebrating with her father after winning Wimbledon in 2004
Maria Sharapova celebrating with her father after winning Wimbledon in 2004
During the interview, Eisenbud also heaped praise on Maria Sharapova’s father Yuri, describing him as the “gold standard of developing a young player.” According to Eisenbud, Yuri demaned short but intense practice sessions from his daughter and never pushed her beyond the limit.
