Unstoppable

My Life So Far

By: Maria Sharapova

Narrated by: Maria Sharapova

This program is read by the author.

From Maria Sharapova, one of our fiercest female athletes, the captivating - and candid - story of her rise from nowhere to tennis stardom, and the unending fight to stay on top.

In 2004, in a stunning upset against the two-time defending champion Serena Williams, 17-year-old Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon, becoming an overnight sensation. Out of virtual anonymity, she launched herself onto the international stage. "Maria Mania" was born. Sharapova became a name and face recognizable worldwide. Her success would last: she went on to hold the number-one WTA ranking multiple times, to win four more Grand Slam tournaments, and to become one of the highest-grossing female athletes in the world.

And then - at perhaps the peak of her career - Sharapova came up against the toughest challenge yet: during the 2016 Australian Open, she was charged by the ITF with taking the banned substance meldonium, only recently added to the ITF's list. The resulting suspension would keep her off the professional courts for 15 months - a frighteningly long time for any athlete. The media suggested it might be fateful.

But Sharapova's career has always been driven by her determination and by her dedication to hard work. Her story doesn't begin with the 2004 Wimbledon championship, but years before, in a small Russian town, where as a five-year-old she played on drab neighborhood courts with precocious concentration. It begins when her father, convinced his daughter could be a star, risked everything to get them to Florida, that sacred land of tennis academies. It begins when the two arrived with only $700 and knowing only a few words of English. From that, Sharapova scraped together one of the most influential sports careers in history.

Here, for the first time, is the whole story, and in her own words. Sharapova's is an unforgettable saga of dedication and fortune. In this new audiobook, she brings us inside her pivotal matches and illuminates the relationships that have shaped her - with coaches, best friends, boyfriends, and Yuri, her coach, manager, father, and most dedicated fan, describing with honesty and affection their oft-scrutinized relationship. She writes frankly about the suspension. As Sharapova returns to the professional circuit, one thing is clear: the ambition to win that drove her from the public courts of Russia to the manicured lawns of Wimbledon has not diminished.

Sharapova's Unstoppable is a powerful audiobook memoir, resonant in its depiction of the will to win - whatever the odds.

©2017 Maria Sharapova (P)2017 Macmillan Audio

Honest and sincere

The fact that Maria was the narrator made this so authentic. She was open and honest and I now have such a new respect for her.

A brilliant course in resilience and nobility

Previously I said this book would be highly recommended, I would like to make a correction; this is a must read for all of us.
This is an extremely well-written memoir of a self-made multitalented world champion with a
an admirably strong character. The strongest feelings one can get between the lines are courage and honesty; a brave, fluent honesty that is sensible both in the author's tone and in her writing. She is generously taking the reader through a life rich in experiences and shares magnificent tips in resilience.
I think Maria Sharapova's vast knowledge of Russian and English literature has contributed a lot to one of the best written memoirs I have ever read.
At the end of a book that I never wanted to end, I felt humbled and filled with a strong sense of pride in the champion I have always admired.
The experience of reading this book was like sailing on crystal clear waters on a glass boat where you can see and appreciate the depth of the sea.

Great insight into one of the best athletes in the world.

I enjoy books from great performers where they talk about their lives, their victories and defeats, but also about what makes them who they are. Sharapova does a great job of effectively and clearly describing her life's journey both professionally and personally with just enough tour gossip to keep you laughing. Would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about one of the best tennis players of all time or if you just appreciate listening to a great tale by an elite performer.

Inspiring life story even for non sport fan

Where does Unstoppable rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the top 3 books for me

Who was your favorite character and why?

Maria of course. As a successful immigrant myself I can relate to her life journey of humble beginning to all the struggles and success.

Which character – as performed by Maria Sharapova – was your favorite?

Yuri her father is the driving force and the visionary for her success

Loved it!

Loved it! The story of the making of Sharapova was the best part. Though the rest of it was very good too.

Unstoppable - But at what cost?

What did you love best about Unstoppable?

Maria does an excellent job narrating this story of her life to this point. As a tennis player I have always admired her game, competitiveness and composure on the court. This book does a great job of explaining how Maria got to this point in her life. This comes through a well-paced narrative explaining the key moments that vaulted her to tennis stardom and the impact of the harsh punishment after testing positive for Meldonium. It also portrays a little girl who was uprooted from her childhood at the age of 6, separated from her Mother for two years and never able to develop a close relationship with anyone besides her Father. While this seems normal to Maria it is sad and, even though she has had tremendous success professionally, makes me wonder if it was worth it. The domineering sports parent saga seems to be more common than ever, especially in tennis. My hope is that Maria can follow in the path of Andre Agassi when she retires finding a soul mate and leveraging the brand she has created to do good in the world.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Unstoppable?

Taking the reader through her first experience at Wimbledon and the return two years later where she secured her first major.

What does Maria Sharapova bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Maria has a great speaking voice. Since this is her own story it would not have been nearly as effective if performed by a narrator.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Just a little sad for the reasons mentioned above. As a parent of two children a couple years younger than Maria I question the overall cost of the choice Yuri made devoting his, and Maria's life to professional tennis.

I found this put me through a range of emotions.

I felt nostalgic as I fell back remembering moments in matches she recalled over a world class career. I laughed at jokes and stories she places through out but most importantly her story of both Maria and her parents is truly inspiring and shows if there's a will and you put in the work, you can get there.

I always enjoy these a bit more too when the author narrates it, that way there's no confusion of tone or intent. you get the story straight from the author, Maria gives that same determination, focus and charisma she gave everyone on and off the court.

It’s inspiring!

It’s inspiring for whoever facing obstacles in life. If you think you can, you can!

Fantastic Autobiography, excellent narration by Sharapova

I really enjoyed listening to Maria Sharapova’s memoir. Her narration was above expectation and she has a great voice. It was a real bonus to the listening experience. I’m happy I bought the audiobook instead of just reading the book. The bio is fascinating, especially as a tennis fan. Maria describes her drive to win, professional matters, and also the gossip stuff such as her famous boyfriends... and Serena. She clearly admires, hates, and totally obsessed with Serena... The most interesting part of the book is her beginning with her father, with 700 dollars in their pocket. I turkey admire her after reading this book. Can’t wait for her to win another Slam, which I’m sure she will. This is a must read (listen!) audiobook!!

Interesting read especially for tennis fans

I love that this was read by the author, makes it more "real". This is one of the few times maria opens up about relationships. It almost feels like she's a friend that you're listening to about some of the ups and downs she has in her love life. There are some slower points (and I'm a huge tennis fan). But still a really neat inside look at what it takes to make a champion and the challenges along the way. I was surprised she didn't mention the interview Serena did when Serena said maria doesn't get invited to cool parties and that grigor had a dark heart etc. Maria has definitely left the door open for a second book!