One of the greatest recognitions a tennis player can receive once retired is to enter the Newport Hall of Fame. That honor has gone to Maria Sharapova and brothers Bob and Mike Bryan in 2025. The surprise that the organization had in store for Sharapova is that her mistress of ceremonies was going to be Serena Williams, her great rival on the court and often off it
Serena gave a heartfelt speech that brought Sharapova, sitting in the front row next to her husband, to tears: “She reminds me a lot of Venus. She’s smart, loyal and family oriented. She’s just a great person. She could have been my sister.”
Five years retired
Maria had no choice but to go on stage and embrace Serena to the applause of those present. Gone are the feuds between the two, reflected in Sharapova’s biography. This refers to the fact that it all started after her victory over the American in the 2004 Wimbledon final: “I saw her cry in the locker room.”
The Siberian tennis player, who has lived in the United States since she was a child, hung up her racket in February 2020 tired of injuries, especially her shoulder
In addition to her five Grand Slam titles, her career was marked by a positive test for meldonium in 2016. She was never the same again.
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