‘My life is not about a banana’ – Maria Sharapova gave strangest tennis interview ever after winning US Open

Winning a Grand Slam title should be a moment of unbridled joy and positivity, but for Maria Sharapova that wasn’t the case in 2006.

Sharapova claimed her second major title when she beat Justine Henin to win the US Open in New York.

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She had taken out top seed Amelie Mauresmo in the semi-final before dispatching Henin in straight sets in the final.

However, after the match she was forced to answer some tough questions about her behaviour at the changeovers.

Sharapova was already defensive when she walked into the interview room, saying before any question was asked: “Let’s make this a positive session tonight — please, por favor.”

She was then asked about an incident where her hitting partner held up four fingers, with the insinuation that there was a coded message.

At the time, any coaching from the sideline was prohibited. Serena Williams famously got into a row with the umpire during the 2018 US Open final for being accused of the exact same thing.

“I thought this was supposed to be a positive interview,” Sharapova immediately responded with.

She was pushed about it and added: “I just won a Grand Slam. The last thing I’m gonna talk about is some fingers or a banana, all right? I hope you got that one, thanks.”

That reference to the banana was the first time it had been brought up in the interview, leading to some of the journalists present questioning if this was part of the secret signals.

She was then asked: “Why does the negativity seem to be getting you right now at this time. When another reporter was asking you about this, that everybody saw on TV, you knew it was a banana and four fingers.

“Is that something you don’t want to address negativity right now and why?”

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Sharapova replied: “You know, honestly I believe at the end of the day, personally, my life is not about a banana; it’s not about what I wear; it’s not about the friends I have.

“My career right now is about winning a tennis match. And right now I’m sitting here as a U.S. Open champion, and the last thing people need to worry about is a banana.”

Sharapova was just 19 at the time of her US Open victory, while her opponent Henin had made all four Grand Slam finals that year.

Speaking about that win in 2018, Sharapova said: “Winning the US Open as a teenager against one of my toughest rivals, Justine Henin, was a very special occasion.

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“I’ll always remember those two weeks as some of my best on-court memories.”

Sharapova’s career

The Russian picked up five Grand Slam titles in her career, with the first a memorable victory at Wimbledon in 2004 when she was just 17.

After that US Open win in 2006, she claimed the Australian Open in 2008 but had to wait until 2012 before completing the career slam.

She lifted the French Open in 2012 and then again in 2014, before retiring from the sport in 2020.