Maria Sharapova (33) was harshly criticized in Russia after refusing to provide an autograph. Yevgeny Kafelnikov, a former No. 1 ATP, said Sharapova should not be considered Russian, in fact “one hundred percent American.”

Yevgeny Kafelnikov: “Sharapova is American! Do you still have any doubts? ”

“Sharapova is American! Do you still have any doubts? I am addressing all Russians. Does anyone else have any doubts? Does anyone have any doubts that I’m wrong? Her whole life is in America. He has been there since he was five years old “, the former ATP leader” thundered “.

It all started at a controversial time. Maria Sharapova did not want to sign an autograph for the academy of Kafelnikov’s father, the man who guided the Russian woman to tennis.

“I haven’t talked to her in my life, I haven’t had a relationship. All the talks were through his agent, “said Yevgeny, who added that he did not talk to Sharapova even when he was vice president of the Russian Tennis Federation.

“Masha refused!” Maria Sharapova, fortune of 300 million dollars

“I tell you again: I had no relationship with Sharapova. I don’t have her phone number, I didn’t have any contact. I only looked for her through Elena Vesnina once, to help me get an autograph for my father’s tennis school. My father helped her in her youth, when she was still in Sochi. But Masha refused, “said the former tennis player.

Sharapova, who retired from the WTA circuit, is one of the richest tennis players in history, after 11 years on the first place in the top of the athletes with the highest earnings, according to Forbes.

The Russian woman has amassed a fortune of about $ 300 million throughout her career.

Sharapova also made her film debut after appearing in Ocean’s Eight for a few seconds.