Russian tennis beauty Maria Sharapova thanked her mother Yelena, whom she credits for helping her discover a world beyond tennis. The 28-year-old who spent most of her early life on the tennis court training with her dad Yuri, said that it was her mother who ensured other things were taken care of.&nbsp;
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/may/11maria.jpg" alt="" /> Maria Sharapova. PIC/Getty Images
A perfect guide "I spent a lot of time playing tennis when I was growing up and I was always around my father so I think my mother&rsquo;s biggest commitment was making sure I&rsquo;d finished all of my homework on time and making sure I pursued my education," Sharapova was quoted as saying by Daily Mail.
"I remember how she would take me to the ballet and take me to art classes, which opened my eyes to a totally different world outside of being an athlete. She has shaped me in so many ways, from raising me, guiding me in the right direction, opening my eyes to the world around me and exploring it with me," she said. Yelena also helped her daughter become mentally tough: "Discipline allows you to set clear goals, and diligently follow a plan for achieving them. This is something my mother taught me and it is true no matter what industry you are in."
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<td>Yelena&nbsp;</td>
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Sharapova&rsquo;s next target would be to defend the French Open title, but it isn&rsquo;t going to be an easy task for her. Recently, she lost to fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semi-finals at the Madrid Open.
She also stressed on the fact that success isn&rsquo;t about achieving one goal, but it is a never-ending task.
"The harder you work, the luckier you become, because more doors open for you. Success is a never ending process &ndash; it&rsquo;s not represented to me by achieving one total goal, but rather continuously striving to grow and push yourself beyond even your own imagination and that is very empowering."

Russian tennis star, in a Mother&rsquo;s Day interview, reveals how Yelena trained her to face challenges and live a disciplined life

My mother taught me to be tough: Maria Sharapova

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Russian tennis star, in a Mother&rsquo;s Day interview, reveals how Yelena trained her to face challenges and live a disciplined life

My mother taught me to be tough: Maria Sharapova

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My mother taught me to be tough: Maria Sharapova

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