Serena and Sharapova: From court rivals to best of friends

Tennis icon Serena Williams has revealed that Maria Sharapova is her best friend now because both of them are moms. “She is my best friend now. Sorry, Caroline. Also the first person I can call to discuss my day-to-day things with.

Motherhood has brought us really close to each other,” Serena reportedly said for Good Morning America.

Maria Sharapova complimented Serena and her sister Venus for their gender pay gap battles in an interview during New York Fashion Week.

"I've seen it from the sidelines being a woman in a sport that didn't have equal pay, that didn't have equal rights. I witnessed Venus Williams fighting for equal prize money at every single one of her press conferences, every single one.

You know how challenging but brave of her to show up and do that is?" On Serena Williams' retirement at the US Open 2022, Sharapova said: "She deserved that moment. To see her shine and to see her perform. Watching her match at Wimbledon and losing early, I think that was actually the best gift because she wanted to come out much stronger than how she played at Wimbledon.

So to see her elevate her game and compete and go out fighting, which she has done throughout her whole life with that grit and grace, was spectacular." Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams are now two of the most famous athletes in the world.

The Economist released a top 15 “star power” ranking that shows who are the most famous female athletes in the world. The ranking has Serena and Sharapova on the first two places..