1. Back for good? Maria Sharapova's ups and downs.

Watching the photos or stories that Maria Sharapova posts on her Instagram profile, it’s hard to believe in the the statements that she presents during press conferences.  She's fine, she needs to feel this hunger once again, she needs to find new coach, new energy.. and list goes on and on. Boring, isn't it? It seems that after the Meldonium case, ban from professional circuit and hard comeback, (which has not ended well, to be honest) it seems that tennis is one of the last things on her mind. Enterpreneurship, tv apperances, lots of interviews... but hey, if you are a 5-time Grand Slam champion you can allow yourself to some rest, don’t you? Now she's more focused on promoting Sugarpova- her candy buisiness,  visiting various cities, learning at Harvard and doing all the things that are not connected with tennis. Believe it or not, she played only 10 tournaments last year. She didn't won any of them. She wasn't even close to win any of them. She lost to the players that she has beaten 6-0 6-1 or so in her prime.  How on earth that could end well?

What is really sad is the fact that she’s probably never gonna comeback to these old good times when she was fighting with the best for the biggest wins.  No rivalry with Serena Williams anymore, no "come on" after each and every winner or opponent's fault. It's gone, for good. (at least, I think so). She won't even ask again if Radwanska is back in Poland already, because she has also retired. Goodbye, my childhood, for good. 

Is there a bright future for her in tennis courts? I honestly don’t think so, looking at her last matches. She is just not focused anymore, not powerful enough, not strong enough. She's simply older and the competitors are young, free and better prepared for the season. Her game looks tiring and watching her make me wanna sleep (her grunting always stops me before doing so). She’s just not there. She would rather promote her candy buisiness all around the world than losing another match. Maria, it's high time to retire, I think. 

People change, priorities also. All in all, she’s happy now as she has more time for her family and friends (she doesn't form friendships in locker room, remember!) and more time for visiting amazing places with her new boyfriend. At least, she's good now, even though the (tennis) good has gone. It seems like forever.

And with that, my childhood is gone, as I woke up in the night to watch her matches.

Adios, infancia.