There’s something vaguely erotic about women’s tennis. Maybe it’s the short skirts, or the way the athletes sweat as they bump and grind around the court. Or maybe it’s the loud, almost concupiscent, grunting as they whack the tennis ball over the net. Whatever it is, Maria Sharapova is a prime example of that eroticism, as she’s arguably the hottest female tennis player–or female athlete in general–in the world.
Unfortunately, Sharapova’s tennis career has recently hit a bit of a speed bump, as she revealed in March that she had failed a drug test leading into the 2016 Australian Open. The drug in question was meldonium, which is most commonly prescribed for heart conditions. To be fair to Sharapova, the drug had only been placed on the banned substance list a few months earlier, and she claimed that she had been taking it for ten years, prescribed to her by her family doctor for medical reasons. Whether you believe her story or not, she has no one to blame but herself, especially considering that she had been warned that the drug was going to be placed on the banned substance list.
Now that Maria Sharapova is no longer in the tennis world, perhaps for good, who is going to take her place? There’s never quite been anyone like her, someone who combines such beauty with such talent. Sure there are other blonde bombshells in the sport, like Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, but they don’t have quite the same skill that Sharapova, a former world number one and five-time Grand Slam winner, had.
Since there may not be another female tennis player quite like Sharapova ever again, let’s fall back on the good old days when she was still in the spotlight, and take a look at some hottest pictures of her.
At 6’2” and a lean 130 lbs., Maria Sharapova has one of the best bodies in all of professional sports. As you can see from these bikini pictures, taken for Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition, the Russian tennis player keeps herself in great shape. She currently resides in Bradenton, Florida, so there’s plenty of opportunity for her to lounge around on the beach and work on her tan. And that’s exactly what she’s been doing ever since her tennis career was put on hiatus, as she’s been spotted on the beach on several occasions these past few months, seemingly unfazed by the whole situation.
Who says that thin white girls can’t have junk in the trunk? Haven’t you ever heard of a whooty? This picture is proof that, yes, even white girls have back. Her upper body and lower body look like they belong to two separate people in this picture. Sure she might not be Serena Williams when it comes to booty (then again who is?), but it’s still pretty impressive. I think it’s fair to say that she squats. Sharapova’s playing style is a rare combination of speed and power, and a lot of that power derives from her strong legs.
Sharapova’s reaction to the news that she had failed a drug test seemed to be to head to the beach. And we’re glad for it, because it means we get to soak up these pictures of her soaking up the sun. Here’s one of her in a tiny red bikini in Mexico, showing off her long, athletic body. Sharapova was caught dancing on the beach with her celebrity friend Chelsea Handler, seemingly without a care in the world. Why shouldn’t she smile? Even though her career’s in jeopardy at the young age of 29, she’s still made millions ($125 million, to be exact).
