Serena Williams hits back over false Maria Sharapova claims

SERENA Williams has reignited her bitter rivalry with Maria Sharapova by hitting back over false claims the Russian spread about her.

Maria Sharapova's rivalry with Serena Williams is set to be reignited.

SERENA Williams has reignited the fiercest rivalry in women’s tennis ahead of her French Open clash with Maria Sharapova, saying she was disappointed with claims made about her in the Russian’s book, which she described as “hearsay”.

Sharapova, who Williams has beaten 18 times in a row, claimed in her recent memoir Unstoppable that Serena “hated” her for hearing her cry after the 2004 Wimbledon final.

The pair’s fourth-round match at Roland Garros will be the first time the two have faced off since the American’s win in the 2016 Australian Open quarter-finals — Sharapova’s last match before serving a 15-month doping ban.

“I think the book was 100 per cent hearsay, at least all the stuff I read and the quotes that I read, which was a little bit disappointing,” said Williams after her 6-3 6-4 third-round win over Julia Goerges.

“I have cried in the locker room many times after a loss, and that’s what I have seen a lot of people do. I think it’s normal.

“It’s a Wimbledon final, you know. So it’s just, like, I think it would be more shocking if I wasn’t in tears.”

Williams was shocked to find out how significant a role she played in Sharapova’s life and career and was upset she was portrayed as disliking the Russian, which she claims isn’t close to the truth.

“The book was a lot about me. I was surprised about that, to be honest. You know, I was, like, ‘Oh, OK.’ I didn’t expect to be reading a book about me, that wasn’t necessarily true,” she said.

“I didn’t know she looked up to me that much or was so involved in my career.

“I don’t have any negative feelings towards her, which again, was a little disappointing to see in that hearsay book.

“Especially having a daughter, I feel like negativity is taught. One of the things I always say, I feel like women, especially, should bring each other up.

“A lot of people always assume that I feel a different way and it’s not true.

“If anything, I feel like we should encourage each other, and the success of one female should be the inspiration to another, and I have said that 1000 times.”

Williams has the wood on Sharapova.

The 23-time grand slam champion, who holds a 19-2 record over Sharapova, is playing her first major tournament since winning the 2017 Australian Open, after giving birth to her daughter Olympia.

Williams’s only two losses to fellow former world number one Sharapova came 14 years ago — in the 2004 Wimbledon final and at the WTA Tour Championships — before even the birth of Twitter and YouTube.

But both are on the road back towards the top of the sport after their recent absences.

Williams had played only four matches since taking time off due to pregnancy before arriving at Roland Garros.

Sharapova is seeded for the first time at a grand slam since her suspension for using meldonium and is playing her first French Open since 2015 after being refused a wildcard by tournament organisers last year.

But the 36-year-old thinks the Russian should be the favourite as she lacks playing time, while Sharapova produced her best tennis since returning to the court in dismantling former world number one Karolina Pliskova 6-2 6-1.

“Quite frankly, she’s probably a favourite in this match, for sure,” added Serena. “She’s been playing for over a year now. I just started. So I’m just really trying to get my bearings and trying to feel out where I am and see where I can go.”

Giving birth hasn’t slowed Williams down.

The rivalry between the two has been a bitter one since the Russian’s shock victory over Williams as a 17-year-old at Wimbledon, but she admitted that the “numbers don’t lie”.

Sharapova has lost their last seven meetings in straight sets and has managed to take only three sets in those 18 straight losses.

“Any time you play against Serena you know what you’re up against,” said the 31-year-old. “You know the challenge that is upon you. You know, despite the record that I have against her, I always look forward to coming out on the court and competing against the best player.

“I think there is a lot of things in her game that she’s done much better than I have … Numbers don’t lie.”

But for all the bad blood between the two over the years — often involving claims and counter-claims over their private lives — Sharapova added in her book that reconciliation may come once the on-court battles are over.

“Serena and I should be friends; we have the same passion. But we are not. I think, to some extent, we have driven each other. Maybe that’s what it takes,” she wrote.

“Only when you have that intense antagonism can you find the strength to finish her off. Who knows? Some day, when all this is in our past, maybe we’ll become friends.”