The talent and beauty of Maria Sharapova have made millions go weak in the knees for her. However, young Sharapova also had one such personality that made her feel the same way. Juan Carlos Ferrero rose to the limelight after sidelining rising players like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. However, 16-year-old Maria Sharapova had a crush on Ferrero and she could not take her eyes off of.
Now happily married and with a son, Sharapova confessed through her book, ‘Unstoppable: My Life So Far’ about her childhood crush on the coach of Carlos Alcaraz Garfia.
Maria Sharapova is a tennis heartthrob and her crowd loved her beauty as much as they loved her talent. However, 16-year-old Sharapova had someone who caught her heart. An innocent childhood crush for Ferrero came to the limelight with her book, ‘Unstoppable: My Life So Far’.
While traveling for her run on the clay court, the Russian player resided temporarily at Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy in Villena, Spain. Ferrero himself was present at the academy and Sharapova noticed him.
She stated, “In those few weeks, watching Ferrero train, watching him come and go, seeing how he talked and handled himself, how he brushed his hair away from his eyes, I developed a serious crush.” As it is with the crushes, Sharapova also did not see the age difference, nor did she care about his girlfriend.
Sad reality check for Sharapova
He was 23 at that point and she was 16. She knew that he had a girlfriend and also the fact that she is a minor. She wrote, “In most countries, that’s not even legal. What can I say? The heart wants what the heart wants.”
Seeing him with his girlfriend gave her a reality check. She stated, “When they stood together, all cute, I was reminded that I was the silliest thing in the world-a kid with a crush.”
However, she guessed that Ferrero must have known about her crush but did not lead her on. She stated, “I appreciate how he handled himself, the gentle and serious way he treated me, never making me feel anything less than grown-up and important, while also letting me know in his easy way that it could never happen.”
