Maria Sharapova, a
five-time Grand Slam singles champion known for plenty of on-court grit and off-court attention, and Bob and Mike Bryan, twins who won a record 16 major titles in men’s doubles together, are first-ballot selections for the
International Tennis Hall of Fame.
The Newport, Rhode Island-based Hall announced the Class of 2025 on Thursday.
Sharapova won at least one championship at each of her sport’s four most prestigious events, making her one of 10 women in tennis history to complete a career Grand Slam, and she was the first Russian woman to reach No. 1 in the WTA singles rankings.
She retired in 2020 at age 32 after a career that included 15 years in the spotlight,
a 15-month doping ban and multiple operations on her right shoulder.
In a message posted on social media,
Sharapova called herself “incredibly grateful to receive this honor.”
The Bryan brothers also compiled a career Grand Slam and spent 438 weeks at No. 1 in the ATP doubles rankings. They won a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and helped the United States win the 2007 Davis Cup title;
Bob is currently the captain of the American team that will go to Malaga, Spain, for next month’s finals to compete for the country’s first triumph in that competition since then.
Mike Bryan — he’s right-handed, and his brother is a lefty — is the career leader with 18 major men’s doubles trophies overall;
he got two with Jack Sock while Bob was injured in 2018.
“We are truly humbled and grateful to receive this honor. Though making it to Newport was never our goal, being included among so many of our idols and role models is incredibly special,” Bob Bryan wrote in a text message to The Associated Press on Thursday. “Mike and I continue to be best friends, and we feel lucky to have been able to ride this tennis rollercoaster together.”
Sharapova became an instant star when she won her first major title at Wimbledon in 2004 at age 17 by beating Serena Williams in the final, then collected the trophies at the U.S. Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and the
French Open in 2012 and 2014.
Sharapova helped Russia win the team competition now known as the Billie Jean King Cup in 2008, and she claimed a silver medal in singles at the 2012 Olympics, losing to Williams in the final.
All the while, Sharapova earned millions of dollars more in endorsement deals than prize money.
