Maria Sharapova, a celebrated athlete with five major Grand Slam singles titles, and the renowned twin duo Bob and Mike Bryan, who have achieved an unparalleled 16 Grand Slam titles in men’s doubles, have been announced as first-ballot inductees into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
The Hall, located in Newport, Rhode Island, revealed the Class of 2025 selections on Thursday.
Sharapova, who had a remarkable career, secured at least one title from each of the four prestigious Grand Slam tournaments, making her one of only ten women in tennis history to achieve a career Grand Slam. As the inaugural Russian woman to ascend to the No. 1 position in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles rankings, her impact on the sport is significant. After an illustrious career that spanned 15 years, she announced her retirement in 2020 at the age of 32. Her time in the limelight was marked not only by her impressive victories but also by a 15-month suspension for doping and several surgeries on her problematic right shoulder.
The Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, also leave an indelible mark on the sport with a career Grand Slam under their belts and an impressive total of 438 weeks spent as the top-ranked team in ATP doubles. They achieved notable success, including a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and playing critical roles in the United States’ victory in the Davis Cup in 2007. Currently, Bob Bryan serves as the captain of the U.S. team that is preparing to compete in the finals in Malaga, Spain, aimed at capturing the nation’s first Davis Cup triumph since their last championship.
