Maria Sharapova, Bob and Mike Bryan Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame

Maria Sharapova, a five-time singles major champion, alongside Bob and Mike Bryan, the most successful doubles team in ATP Tour history, today were formally inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, forever cementing their legacy and impact both on and off the court.

Fellow Hall of Famers, family, friends and fans from around the world joined in on the weekend’s celebrations honoring Sharapova and the Bryans. The three inductees bring the total to 270 legends from 28 nations represented in the Hall of Fame.

Photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Sharapova is one of only ten women in tennis history to achieve a career singles Grand Slam and topped the world rankings five times throughout her nearly 20-year WTA career, having become the first Russian woman to achieve the world No. 1 ranking in 2005. Her five major singles titles began with her win at Wimbledon in 2004, followed by victories at the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008, and twice at Roland-Garros in 2012 and 2014. During her career, Sharapova was also a member of Russia’s 2008 Fed Cup championship team and earned a silver medal in singles at the 2012 London Olympics.

In looking back on her historic career and what this honor means to her, Sharapova offered this reflection:

“Embrace the struggles and lean into the hard stuff, trust your instinct, and rely on that resilience. I promise you you'll surprise yourself. When voices inevitably tell us to ease up, to round your edges, dull your ambition, I hope you can find a way to ignore them. Compete fiercely, raise your standard, set goals that intimidate you, and don't forget to celebrate your victories no matter how small. When you're facing setbacks, ask a lot of questions and look inside for those answers. And yes, pump that fist, whatever your personal version is, as a reminder of how unstoppable you are. In giving my life to tennis, tennis gave me a life – what a remarkable life. I am so deeply grateful for it.”

Photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Legendary tennis icon and 23-time major singles champion Serena Williams introduced Sharapova tonight, noting, “what started as a rivalry turned into an enormous amount of respect. What grew from respect has turned to friendship. Maria didn't just win matches, she built a legacy that will last forever. Tonight was my honor as Maria’s former rival, former fan, now her forever friend, to welcome her into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.”

Photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame.

The Bryan Brothers teamed together to win 16 major titles throughout their careers and remain the most successful doubles team in ATP Tour history, holding the record for most weeks atop the ATP doubles world rankings (438). Throughout their over 20-year career, the Bryans ranked as the year-end No. 1 team a record 10 times and won a record 119 tour titles together, along with being the only doubles team in history to have completed the Double Career Grand Slam. The Bryans earned a Davis Cup title together in 2007 and also competed in the 2012 London Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, earning gold and bronze medals, respectively.

Bob and Mike Bryan delivered a touching address thanking their coaches, teams and families for their support throughout their tennis journey, acknowledging that they continually seek to give back to the sport that has given them so much.

“Bob and I are feeling an overwhelming sense of awe and gratitude – feeling like this whole thing is a big dream,” said Mike Bryan. “In this sport, nobody makes it alone. Behind every successful player is a village, and we’re very blessed to have an extraordinary one.”

“For most of my career, I had the No. 1 player in the world living across the hall. If I was ever feeling lazy, Mike would drag me off the couch and get me on the court. We kept the bar high for a long time,” said Bob Bryan. “It wasn't always easy, but we had each other. That always made the wins so much sweeter and the losses easier to bear.”

Photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Tonight’s ceremony was part of a reimagined three-day Induction Celebration — including a Hall of Fame Celebrity Pro Classic, live podcast recordings with Andy Roddick and Patrick McEnroe, and exclusive Q&As with Stan Smith and Gigi Fernandez — all culminating with the induction ceremony held for the first time on the night before the start to the US Open on Sunday.

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Courtesy of International Tennis Hall of Fame. Top photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame.