Agent Max Eisenbud jokingly said Maria Sharapova was “probably the worst athlete ever to win a Grand Slam.” In 2004, a 17-year-old Sharapova became a Grand Slam champion after beating Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final.
In the rest of her career, Sharapova won four more Grand Slam titles. Eisenbud, who is now widely seen as one of the top agents in tennis, build his reputation and image after making a marketing giant out of Sharapova. “Besides being an amazing player at age 11 when I first saw her play, I think you all saw she was all business, she knew what she wanted, she’d dedicate her time and energy to becoming the best she could be.
I mean I tell people all the time she’s probably the worst athlete that, and I’ll tell her if she was here (laughing), the worst athlete to ever win a Grand Slam. She can’t throw, she can’t pass, she has no touch but she willed her way,” Eisenbud said on The Tennis Podcast.
Eisenbud: Sharapova one of the mentally strongest players ever
“I think she was the most mentally strong players to ever play the game and I would put her on that list with all that great champions, she just wasn’t the athlete that these other players were.
She knew what she wanted in business, on and off the court, amazing young lady,” Eisenbud added. Since retiring from pro tennis in 2020, Sharapova has been family and business orientated. Eisenbud is not surprised that Sharapova is now doing well in the business world and also acknowledged that the Russian tennis legend helped him become one of the top tennis agents.
“I was lucky enough to work with her since she was 11 years old, right time, right place. Built an unbelievable bond with her. I still manage her to this day, 23 years. And everything I have in my career is because of her. That win opened up many doors and opportunities for me and just was really lucky,” Eisenbud said.
