There may be more to the story that what was said Monday, but right now Maria Sharapova is being viewed in as positive a light as can before for any athlete who has just failed a drug test.
The Russian tennis star's major announcement was that she is facing a possible suspension from the International Tennis Federation for testing positive for Meldonium during the Australian Open, according to USA Today Sports.
Maria Sharapova Drops Bomb Shell About Failed Drug Test
As she stood at the podium saying, "I take full responsibility for it," some Serena Williams fans took to Twitter to troll Sharapova for the failed test.
Maria Sharapova was on a known enhancement drug for 10 years & still couldn't beat Serena, the Queen of Tennis! pic.twitter.com/vVnxbzYRrb
— Chihiro Ogino (@WickedBeaute) March 7, 2016
Serena Williams sitting back reading this Maria Sharapova news like pic.twitter.com/6wQgh0cQ54 — Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) March 7, 2016
Why it's not fair that Serena gets paid less than Maria Sharapova https://t.co/EZYISImGpu pic.twitter.com/vLYG510gdv
— xoNecole (@xonecole) March 7, 2016
Maria Sharapova took Meldonium for 10 years & people wonder for what condition. If Serena failed a drug test she'd be stripped of all awards — Lisa Vikingstad (@LisaVikingstad) March 7, 2016
That raises an interesting question, however, as to how Serena would've handled the situation had it been her who failed a drug test.
Retirement Speculation Contradicts Maria Sharapova's Indian Wells Withdrawal Statement
Would she have called a news conference to announce her misgivings before the test result would've become public? Would Williams have taken "full responsibility" for it? Or would the media-evasive Williams simply have refused comment or tried to ignore the situation?
Sharapova's revelation may have illustrated the difference in the way she deals with the media compared to Serena and why she has been more marketable than Williams.
Whether it has been simply a matter of protecting her brand, Sharapova has a reputation of being open, honest and respectful of the media. After wins or losses, Sharapova has attempted to answer questions without attitude.
She hasn't tried to hide, deny or ignore questions about her personal life. Her two-plus-year relationship with Grigor Dimitrov was part of the tennis fabric.
The much more guarded Williams has had the reputation of having a standoffish relationship with the media in times of adversity (we still don't really know what was wrong with her during her 2014 Wimbledon doubles match with Venus in which Serena couldn't even bounce a tennis ball). Some of that may come from her father, who has shown distrust with the media.
The 2001 incident with her sister at Indian Wells may have forged a mistrust in the media over how the story was portrayed -- with some outlets seemingly unsympathetic toward the family's plight.
Serena is sometimes curt after losses.
She refuses comment on any romantic relationships, which is perfectly within her rights. She doesn't have to tell the media -- or her fans -- everything. Or anything.
But then, she and her fans can't cry when the media gravitates toward the more affable Sharapova.
According to Sharapova, she has taken Meldonium for 10 years for a magnesium deficiency and says diabetes runs in her family. The drug just became a banned substance this year, and she admits she didn't bother to look at the revised list of banned drugs.
"I take full responsibility for it," she said. "I made a huge mistake. I let my fans down. I let my sport down."
If any Serena supporters believe the world's No. 1 player would've responded similarly if she were in Sharapova's situation, they'd be kidding themselves.
Of course, Serena isn't in Sharapova's situation, they argue. That's true.
If she were, Williams might would try to supress it. Unless she wants to volunteer why her behavior at Wimbledon was so bizarre in 2014.
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