NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Maria Sharapova had one more surprise for her fans as she entered the International Tennis Hall of Fame, choosing Serena Williams to introduce her at the induction ceremony on Saturday night.
Williams drew gasps from the crowd when she emerged from the Newport shrine, and then gave a speech in honor of her “former rival, former fan and forever friend.”
“There are only a few players in my career who challenged me to be the very best, every single time we stepped out on the court,” said Williams, who will be eligible for her own induction in 2027. “Maria Sharapova was one of them. Whenever I saw her name next to mine in the draw, I made sure I practiced harder.”
The first Russian woman ever to reach No. 1 in the rankings and one of 10 women to complete the career Grand Slam, Sharapova was joined in the Class of 2025 by dominating doubles brothers Mike and Bob Bryan.
Hall of Famers Martina Navratilova, Jim Courier, Stan Smith and Andy Roddick were among those in the crowd, wearing their blue Hall of Fame blazers. Sharapova and the Bryan brothers also received a cast tennis racket that is the hall’s newest offering to inductees.
The record-setting Bryan brothers shared a speech as if they were taking turns hitting on a court, alternating at the microphone as they thanked coaches, friends and Davis Cup teammates from a career in which they won 119 ATP titles, including 16 Grand Slams, an Olympic gold medal and spent a record 438 weeks atop the world rankings.
Bob Bryan said he was fortunate because “for most of my career, I had the No. 1 player in the world across the hall.”
“Doubles was our love from Day 1,” Mike Bryan said. “We loved everything about doubles. We loved the strategy, the teamwork, sharing, and the highs and lows. Like our personalities, our games complemented each other perfectly.”
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AP tennis: apnews.com/hub/tennis
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