London, Aug 23: Maria Sharapova has never been the type to look back on her accomplishments. Joining the International Tennis Hall of Fame has given her a chance to do just that.
“Wow, there was a lot of sacrifice. There was a lot of hard work,” she said on Friday, a day before she was to be enshrined along with the dominating doubles brothers, Bob and Mike Bryan.
“And, boy, was it worth it.”
One of 10 women ever to win an individual career Grand Slam, the telegenic Sharapova became an instant star when she won Wimbledon in 2004, beating two-time defending champion Serena Williams in the final. She also won the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and the French Open in 2012 and 2014 and was the first Russian to reach No. 1 in the WTA singles rankings.
Sharapova also 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.
And she earned millions of dollars more in endorsement deals than prize money, appearing in fashion shoots and sharing the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition with supermodels.
Sharapova retired in 2020 at age 32 after a 15-year career that was interrupted by multiple shoulder surgeries and a 15-month doping ban after she tested positive for the newly banned drug meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open.
Twins who won a record 16 major titles in men’s doubles together, Bob and Mike Bryan spent 438 weeks as the No. 1 doubles pair. (Mike Bryan is actually the career leader with 18 major men’s doubles titles; he won two with Jack Sock while Bob was injured in 2018.) They also helped the US to the 2007 Davis Cup title and won the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics – an occasion that is already noted in the Hall’s exhibits. (AP)
