At Newport Shrine tennis icon Maria Sharapova was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame with a ceremony being made memorable by a surprise on stage appearance by Serena Williams, her once arch rival turned friend. Williams prematurely appeared out behind the stage to present Sharapova as a former rival, former fan and forever friend which was met with gasps by the audience.
Epic Rivalry, Epic Friendship
Williams expressed tribute in a heartfelt manner as she noted Sharapova was one of the few players who would keep on demanding the best of her. It made the most of the highly charged rivalry between Sharapova and Williams, how Sharapova upset the world when she overcame a teenager named Williams to win the Wimbledon in 2004, but managed to bring out the respect and the camaraderie that took its place.
Serena Williams speaking about her rivalry with Sharapova at Tennis Hall of Fame
“The fire was real. You could feel it. AND by the way, you could hear it. With all of Maria’s grunting” 😭😭😭
“Not mine, yours. I was just copying you” 😂😂😂
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 23, 2025
The induction of Sharapova took her among the cream of tennis history, her five title Grand Slam finish, career Grand Slam, and her becoming the first Russian female tennis player to emerge as world number one. Her acceptance speech was also touching she recollected the challenges she was able to overcome and recommended others to compete intensely, train high and have goals that scare them.
Guests who were present at the event
Mike and Bob Bryan, who were inducted along with Sharapova were legends in men doubles whose progess in doubles saw them win a record in doubles. The prestigious event, presided by great former champions Martina Navratilova, Jim Courier, Stan Smith, and Andy Roddick, was full of symbolism and respect. The history of Sharapova also included her stylish legacy which was also mentioned at the Hall as some of her most famous outfits, the one at Wimbledon inspired by the tuxedo was already presented at the museum.
This was not merely a celebration of success, it was a sign of the reconciliation and mutual respect between two of the icons of tennis and the growth as a person of each of them.
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