Sharapova to Debut ‘Pretty Tough’ Podcast Focused on Female Ambition

© 2025 Horacio Villalobos

Maria Sharapova is preparing to enter the podcast arena with a new series titled ‘Pretty Tough.’ In partnership with Vox Media, the International Tennis Hall of Famer and five-time Grand Slam champion will debut the show next week.

Teasing the project in a social media post, the former world No. 1 said the show is “about the pursuit of excellence, without apology.” She added, “It challenges how we discuss female ambition and explores the multitudes that make us,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

A video teaser suggests Sharapova will speak with a range of high-achieving women who “gave themselves permission to ride and do and believe in more than just what others think of them,” including award winning actress Zoe Saldana, Los Angeles Lakers minority owner Jeanie Buss, and actress and comedian Chelsea Handler, who is Sharapova’s good friend.

Sharapova arrives in a crowded media landscape where current and former players have launched their own shows. Serena and Venus Williams started “Stockton Street” last September, and it airs on X weekly. In 2024, Caroline Garcia launched “Tennis Insider Club,” with now-husband Borja Duran. Other player-led programs include Andy Roddick’s “Served” show and the “Nothing Major” podcast with Sam Querrey, Jack Sock, John Isner and Steve Johnson. Last year, the “Player’s Box” podcast, starring Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, Jennifer Brady and Desirae Krawczyk, debuted to rave reviews.

On the wave of those launches, Pegula reflected on the momentum that followed the men’s projects: “We saw the guys start Nothing Major and we were kind of like, ‘Man, if they can do it, we can figure this out. Like, come on. Seriously,’” Pegula said last summer.

Sharapova’s new program will add another voice to player-driven media, promising conversations centered on ambition and achievement.