US sportswear giant Nike is planning to end the 20-year association with tennis star Maria Sharapova which has helped the Russian become one of sport’s highest-paid women, according to reports.
UK paper The Sun reports that the five-time Grand Slam champion, 31, does not expect her current deal to be renewed when it expires this year.
Sharapova has been with Nike since she was just 11 years old, and her current deal, signed in 2010, is said to be worth $10 million annually – reportedly the largest of any female athlete.
The lucrative association with Nike has helped Sharapova consistently top the charts as sport’s highest-paid woman, including for 11 straight years up to 2016.
However, her failed doping test for meldonium that year led to Nike temporarily suspending its relationship with the Russian star, and while cooperation resumed within a few months, Sharapova’s sponsorship clout appears to have declined.
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Neither Sharapova nor Nike has commented officially on the reports, although the Russian has failed to consistently hit the heights on her return from her doping ban. She currently sits 29th in the WTA rankings, and last won a Grand Slam title at the French Open in 2014.
The US-based player has an estimated worth of up to $195 million, including through her Sugarpova confectionary range and sponsorship with brands such as Porsche and Evian.
Sharapova is reportedly hoping to find a replacement deal, potentially through Adidas, although the German giants are said to be considering a bumper deal for rising star Naomi Osaka, who defeated Serena Williams to win the US Open title earlier this year.
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