Five-time Grand Slam champion, entrepreneur, and bestselling author Maria Sharapova brings her trademark intensity and drive to a weekly podcast that challenges how female ambition is defined and discussed. In each episode of Pretty Tough, Sharapova sits down with high-achieving women across industries for candid, wide-ranging conversations about their pursuit of excellence without apology. Inspired by Sharapova’s own journey as a world-class athlete and entrepreneur, the show serves as a space where discussions about peak performance, career strategy, wellness, and leadership aren't diluted by gender-specific expectations and where being gritty and being female aren't seen as contradictory states of being. New episodes drop Wednesdays. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
What this show covers
tennisentrepreneurshipleadershipcareer reinventionAlex Ealamental toughnessathlete pressureMilk Barburnoutcareer resetwellnessmotherhoodfashionagingacting career
What listeners will find here
Alex Eala on pressure, sacrifice, and a breakout season under the spotlight
Alex Eala talks with Maria Sharapova about becoming the first Filipino to win a WTA title and rising into the top 20. The conversation digs into pressure, pain tolerance, public scrutiny, and the early sacrifices that shaped her path from pre-dawn training to the Rafa Nadal Academy.
Christina Tosi gets candid about Milk Bar’s rise, burnout, and starting over
Christina Tosi talks with Maria Sharapova about building Milk Bar from scrappy beginnings to a dessert empire, then confronting burnout and stepping down as CEO. It’s a candid conversation about risk, failure, leadership, and what it takes to reset for a new chapter.
Carolyn Murphy on leaving fame, raising a daughter, and redefining beauty at 53
Carolyn Murphy reflects on three decades in fashion, 73 Vogue covers, and the decision to step away from the spotlight for a quieter life in Costa Rica. With Maria Sharapova, she talks intuition, single motherhood, perfectionism, aging, and why dedication matters more than discipline.
Emmy Rossum on equal pay, Furious, and the discipline behind a 30-year career
Emmy Rossum talks with Maria Sharapova about shaping a long career in acting, producing, and advocacy. The episode moves from Shameless and her equal-pay fight to Furious, FBI-style training, and the habits, coaches, and mindset that help her keep evolving.
Lindsey Vonn on comeback, catastrophe, and the question she can’t yet answer
Lindsey Vonn talks with Maria Sharapova about returning to elite skiing in her 40s, the crash that derailed her Olympic hopes, and the brutal recovery that followed. It’s a candid conversation about pain, ambition, public scrutiny, and whether she can imagine racing again.
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