Novak Djokovic celebrates Maria Sharapova being inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 alongside Bryan brothers
Novak Djokovic congratulated Maria Sharapova on being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Along with the former Russian tennis star, identical twins Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, famously known as the Bryan Brothers, were also inducted.
On Thursday, 24 October, the official X account of the International Tennis Hall of Fame uploaded a video of Kim Clijsters delivering the exciting news to the new inductees. The tennis stars were thrilled, each showing heartwarming reactions.
Djokovic reposted the induction announcement on his Instagram story, adding "Congratulations" and tagging Sharapova.
Djokovic and Sharapova have enjoyed a warm friendship since their days together on tour. The pair has always had kind words for each other, and they were recently seen taking a stroll together in Montenegro in July, highlighting their ongoing bond, years after the Russian star’s retirement.
When Novak Djokovic praised Maria Sharapova after she announced her retirement from tennis
Maria Sharapova’s career took off in the early 2000s, with her first major breakthrough coming at Wimbledon in 2004. At just 17, she defeated Serena Williams in the final, capturing the Grasscourt Slam and gaining global recognition.
Sharapova went on to win the 2006 US Open, the 2008 Australian Open, and the French Open titles in 2012 and 2014. A former World No. 1, she also earned an Olympic silver medal during her career. A member of an elite list of players who have completed the Career Grand Slam, Sharapova retired in February 2020.
“Her [Maria Sharapova's] impact on the sport, not just women’s tennis, but tennis in general, was great. It still is great,” said Novak Djokovic after Sharapova's retirement as quoted by PTI via AFP.
“She’s a very smart girl, someone that I know very well for a long time. She has the mind of a champion, someone that never gives up. She’s shown that especially in the last five years,” he added.
Sharapova faced many obstacles throughout her career including being suspended for over a year between 2016 and 2017 for the use of the banned substance Meldonium.
Notably, an arbitration panel had declared that “under no circumstances” should she be considered “an intentional doper.”
Djokovic further said:
“She had a lot of obstacles and difficulties, especially with her injuries and everything that she had to endure in order to give herself at least another chance to play competitive tennis.”
“For someone that has won five Grand Slams and has been No. 1 of the world, a legend of the sport. She should be proud of everything she has achieved,” he added.
Upon being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Sharapova expressed deep gratitude, thanking the voters and her fans for their support, which she credited as her motivation to achieve greatness.