Fans were in for a treat as former American tennis player Serena Williams has inducted former rival Maria Sharapova into International Tennis Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony was all about celebrating Maria’s achievements as she was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame, but Serena inducting her was the unexpected twist no-one saw coming!
“In 2004, when Maria was just 17 years old, she stunned the world and won Wimbledon. To this day, she calls it the highlight of her career. Today, I call it one of my hardest losses. The match didn’t just make her a champion. It actually made her a star and launched one of the most talked about and controversial rivalries in tennis,” Serena said at the induction ceremony in Newport.
"She changed how women not only approached tennis, but sports and opportunity. She showed us that you can be fierce on the court and strategic off the court, and unapologetically herself the entire time,” she added.
After Serena's introductory speech, Maria thanked her for the impact she had on her career. She also addressed the on-court tensions between the two, and defined it as typical behaviour that comes out when both opponents know what the other one is capable of and both hate losing.
“It’s a gift to have someone who motivates you to reach those heights. And I’ll forever be grateful for bringing out the best in me.”
“We both knew no other way than to fight our hearts out. … We both hated to lose more than anything on this earth, and we both knew that the other was the biggest obstacle between ourselves and the trophy.”
One fan wrote on X, "Listening to Serena Williams induct Maria Sharapova into the international tennis hall of fame is so amazing. What started as a hard fought rivalry has turned into a good friendship with immense respect. I’m so glad I started watching women’s tennis in the 2000’s."
Throughout their careers, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams met 22 times on the court, with Serena emerging victorious in 20 of those encounters, leaving Sharapova with just two wins in their storied rivalry.
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