Maria Sharapova is one of the biggest names not just in women’s tennis but also in global sport, given her career. Recently, she shared a piece of advice that resonated with the leading American star Jessica Pegula, who shared it on her Instagram story.
Maria Sharapova’s Advice Reflects With Jessica Pegula
Sharapova faced many challenges early in her career, from her opponents to physical injuries; however, she didn’t let any of them stop her from becoming one of the most prominent stars in the sport’s history. She recently shared what kept her going and chasing her dreams, rather than listening to what others had to say.
In her recent public appearance on the Casuals podcast, host Katie Nolan asked the Russian for advice on how to deal with inner negative thoughts. Sharapova, despite being known for her fierce and intense on-court persona, answered the question very calmly, saying,
“It goes back to other people, it’s not about them, it’s about you. That’s the issue.” She stated that all the negative thoughts that go through someone’s mind are always about other people, whereas what the person does is about them, not others. Sharing her personal experience, Sharapova added,
“Someone asked me to write down a message to my younger self, and I said, ‘Follow your instinct. Don’t hesitate. Just make a decision, move on with it, and if it’s the wrong one, you’ll figure it out.'”
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These words had a strong impact on the host, Nolan, who was moved by the life advice. However, the most important thing the five-time Grand Slam Champion added was: “But it’s your mistake, it’s not anyone else’s, and you can’t use that as an excuse.”
This last sentence teaches a person to own up to their mistakes instead of imposing them on someone else, because they have to take action to fix them, as no one else will. Such words were expected to go viral immediately, which they did, and reached the feed of World No. 5 Pegula, who shared it on her Instagram story.
Interestingly, she did not bother to add a caption, as what Sharapova said in the reel was enough for anyone to regain their confidence and fight against the odds. This same mentality is what took the Russian to the heights she reached, constantly challenging the top players of her era, including the American legend Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and Caroline Wozniacki.
Based on these thoughts, Sharapova was able to win five majors and complete a career Grand Slam while winning the Roland Garros title twice. She also won the 2004 WTA Tour Finals and the 2012 Olympics silver medal, losing to her biggest rival, Williams. The former world No. 1 was also inducted into the 2025 Tennis Hall of Fame by the American Tennis Association in August 2025, just before the US Open.
On the other hand, Pegula is on her way to becoming a legend in the sport, enjoying one of the best stretches of her career since last year. She has now reached the quarterfinals in 10 consecutive tournaments, including the recent titles at the Dubai Tennis Championships and the Charleston Open.
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She is currently the fifth-ranked woman in the world and the second-ranked American woman, right behind the sensation Coco Gauff. Pegula is set to compete at the WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid on Friday, April 24, where she will face the Briton Katie Boulter in the second round, with PFSN’s exclusive interactive simulator predicting over 83% chances of the American advancing to the next round.
Boulter defeated American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-2 in the first round to secure her spot in the match and will be looking forward to making a deep run at the tournament; however, it won’t be easy given that Pegula is fueled with the “Hall of Fame” advice by Sharapova.
