Maria Sharapova, Bob and Mike Bryan nominated for International Tennis Hall of Fame
A five-time major singles champion and the most accomplished men’s doubles team in history are on the International Tennis Hall of Fame ballot for the Class of 2025.
Maria Sharapova, along with Bob and Mike Bryan, join Daniel Nestor as nominees up for induction in the Player Category. All are former world No. 1s in their respective disciplines, with Sharapova owning a Career Grand Slam in singles and the Bryan brothers and Nestor completing Career Golden Slams on the doubles court.
Both Sharapova and the Bryans hung up their racquets during the 2020 season. Sharapova finished her career with 36 titles and the distinction of being the first Russian woman to topple the WTA singles rankings. The Nyagan native won her first major title as a 17-year-old at 2004 Wimbledon and later spent more than 400 weeks inside the Top 5. During the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Sharapova was suspended for 15 months after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium.
The Bryans clinched 16 Grand Slam titles together to go with the gold medal earned at the London 2012 Olympics (following bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics). Among their many accomplishments, the twins hold a record 39 ATP Masters 1000 crowns—having also matched Nestor in achieving a Career Golden Masters by winning all nine active tournaments at the 1000 level. In 2018, Mike claimed an additional two men’s doubles majors alongside Jack Sock when Bob was sidelined with a hip injury. Bob respectively lifted seven mixed doubles trophies to Mike’s four.
“There’s no greater honor. It’s the top of the mountain of the sport to be in with the family of legends,” Mike said on Tennis Channel Live Tuesday. “It’s a thrill to just be considered for the Hall. We’re jacked.”
Nestor returns to the ballot for his third and final year of eligibility. After Leander Paes received the call to the Hall last year and the Bryans now up for consideration, the first man to win 1000 doubles matches seeks to be forever linked with his greatest rivals in Newport, R.I. Nestor is a 12-time major title holder, with eight coming in men’s doubles and four in mixed doubles. In 2000, he partnered Sebastien Lareau to the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics.
Fan voting is now open, with valuable percentage points counting towards the 75% combined total needed to get elected. The Class of 2025 is due to be announced in October.
