Sharapova, Bryan Brothers inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame

Maria Sharapova and doubles legends Bob and Mike Bryan were formally inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday, joining tennis immortality in a ceremony that brought the sport’s elite to Newport’s iconic grounds.

The three inductees bring the Hall of Fame’s total membership to 270 legends representing 28 nations. The ceremony capped a reimagined three-day celebration that included celebrity exhibitions and exclusive programming, held for the first time on the eve of the U.S. Open.

Sharapova, one of only 10 women to achieve a career Grand Slam, captured five major singles titles during her nearly two-decade career. The Russian star became the first woman from her country to reach No. 1 in the world rankings in 2005, adding Wimbledon (2004), U.S. Open (2006), Australian Open (2008) and two French Open titles (2012, 2014) to her resume.

Maria Sharapova (Credit: Louis Walker III/What’sUpNewp) Credit: Louis Walker III

“In giving my life to tennis, tennis gave me a life — what a remarkable life,” Sharapova said during her induction speech. “I am so deeply grateful for it.”

Tennis icon Serena Williams, who battled Sharapova throughout their careers, introduced the five-time major champion.

Serena Williams (Credit: Louis Walker III/What’sUpNewp) Credit: Louis Walker III

“What started as a rivalry turned into an enormous amount of respect,” Williams said. “What grew from respect has turned to friendship. Maria didn’t just win matches, she built a legacy that will last forever.”

The Bryan Brothers dominated doubles tennis for more than two decades, capturing 16 major titles and holding the record for most weeks atop the ATP doubles rankings at 438. The twins finished as the year-end No. 1 team a record 10 times and won 119 tour titles together — the most successful doubles partnership in ATP history.

They remain the only doubles team to complete the Double Career Grand Slam and earned Davis Cup gold in 2007 along with Olympic medals in Beijing (bronze, 2008) and London (gold, 2012).

“In this sport, nobody makes it alone,” Mike Bryan said. “Behind every successful player is a village, and we’re very blessed to have an extraordinary one.”

Bob Bryan credited their partnership for their sustained excellence.

“For most of my career, I had the No. 1 player in the world living across the hall,” he said. “We kept the bar high for a long time. It wasn’t always easy, but we had each other.”

Mike and Bob Bryan (Credit: Louis Walker III/What’sUpNewp) Credit: Louis Walker III

The induction celebration also featured a Hall of Fame Celebrity Pro Classic, live podcast recordings with Andy Roddick and Patrick McEnroe, and exclusive sessions with Stan Smith and Gigi Fernandez.

The ceremony’s timing, scheduled the night before the U.S. Open begins, marks a new tradition for the Hall of Fame’s annual induction weekend.