New Delhi: Five-time Grand Slam singles champion Maria Sharapova along with doubles specialists Bob and Mike Bryan has been selected to be included in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Based in Newport, Rhode Island,the ITHF on Thursday announced the names to be inducted in its ‘Class of 2025′.
Russian Sharapova is among the handful of players across genders to complete a career Grand Slam – winning the four Majors at least once.
She is one of 10 women in tennis’ history to claim a career Grand Slam and is the first Russian femalwe player to reach the No. 1 spot in the WTA singles rankings, topped the chart five times throughout her career.
Sharapova quit tennis in 2020 aged 32 after a 15 year career that was marred by a 15-month doping ban and multiple surgeries on her problematic right shoulder.
The Bryan brothers remain one of the game’s most successful doubles pairs, having also completed a career Grand Slam and being on top of the ATP rankings for a record 438 weeks.
They claimed a gold medal for USA at the 2012 London Olympics and helped their country lift the Davis Cup in 2007.
After retirement, Bob has become non-playing captain of the American team that travel to Malaga, Spain, for the David Cup finals next month where they would compete for their first triumph in that competition since 2007.
“I am honoured to welcome Maria Sharapova and Bob and Mike Bryan as the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025,” said Kim Clijsters, ITHF president and Hall of Famer herself in 2017.
“Beyond each of their historic accomplishments on the court, the Class of 2025 have had such a profound impact on the game of tennis and have inspired multiple generations of fans across the world. We look forward to celebrating them in Newport next year.”
Sharapova and the Bryan brothers will join an elite group of 267 inductees from 28 countries to be presented with the ultimate honour in tennis.
