Maria Sharapova Takes In Dolomites Scenery During Italy Vacation

Professional women’s tennis player Maria Sharapova took to Instagram to showcase her Italian vacation.

Sharapova traveled to the slopes for an intense skiing session and hiked in the Dolomites, soaking in the natural beauty. She wore a black swimsuit, featured in her Instagram update, as she relaxed in the sauna.

“I finally made it to the Dolomites!!” she captioned. “What a special place this is. Understated. Not flashy at all. What a relief! I’m not a skier (yet), but I trekked, hiked and swam outside, all in one day. Rinse & repeat!!”

The Dolomites are a mountain range located in northeastern Italy, renowned for their natural pale rock formations. Made up of jutted cliffs, spires and valleys, the Dolomites offer tourists year-round hiking and skiing, which Sharapova definitely took advantage of.

The former tennis player also made sure to thank her hosts: “And what a beautiful property Aman Rosa Alpina is. Can’t wait for you to see what we filmed. “Thank you, Ursula and Hugo, for the most wonderful stay. You are the soul of this place!’

Sharapova is known for winning the women’s singles title at the 2004 Wimbledon, at only 17 years old, beating her opponent, Serena Williams. She furthered her career by winning all Grand Slams, even taking first at the French Open Twice. She is also the first Russian player to complete the four Grand Slam competitions, at Melbourne, New York, Paris and London. Sharapova retired five years ago in 2020. Nowadays, she prefers a more natural look, in contrast to her active days on the court.

However, Sharapova failed a drug test in 2016, illegally taking meldonium, resulting in her suspension for two years. Meldonium has been banned from the Australian Open since the start of that year.

Officials later reduced her sentence to 15 months after learning that her doctors advised her to ingest the drug. She returned to the court in April 2017. She then went on to win the Tianjin Open seven months later.

Sharapova announced her retirement in 2020, after dealing with chronic shoulder issues for the past few years.

She wrote, “How do you leave behind the only life you’ve ever known? How do you walk away from the courts you’ve trained on since you were a little girl, the game that you love—one which brought you untold tears and unspeakable joys—a sport where you found a family, along with fans who rallied behind you for more than 28 years?”

“I’m new to this, so please forgive me. Tennis – I’m saying goodbye.”