Maria
Sharapova leads fan vote for the 2025 International Tennis Hall of Fame. The 5-time Grand Slam champion is
still competing in the final round to receive the honour, but she has taken the
lead in the first part of the process following votes from tens of thousands of
fans in 120 countries.
The
37-year-old former player topped the votes, surpassing Mike and
Bob Bryan, who
came second, and Canadian Daniel Nestor, who placed third. The fan vote
accounts for 25% of the final decision, while the remaining 75% is decided by
an official group of journalists, historians, and Hall of Fame members, who
will determine who will join in 2025.
Sharapova tops Hall of Fame fan vote
In 2004,
the Russian tennis star won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon at just 17
years and 75 days old. She is the second-youngest player to lift the trophy at
the All England Club in the Open Era, only behind Martina Hingis, who did so in
1997 at 16 years and 278 days.
“I am
incredibly grateful to the fans all around the world who supported me during
the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Fan Vote,” said Sharapova. “It is a
tremendous honour to be considered for the Hall of Fame, and having the fans’
support makes it all the more special.”
By winning
the fan vote, Sharapova will receive an additional three percentage points
added to her final voting score, while the Bryan brothers receive two points,
and Nestor gets one point. After the votes from the panel of experts, the Class
of 2025 will be announced in October.
Sharapova
had an outstanding career from an early age. She is the 5th-youngest player to
reach No. 1, behind Hingis, Monica Seles, Tracy Austin, and Steffi Graf. The
Russian spent a total of 21 weeks at the top of the rankings (408 weeks in the
top-5), winning 36 singles titles, including 5 Grand Slams and a WTA Finals, as
well as a silver medal in singles at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Sharapova
is one of just 10 players to achieve the Career Grand Slam (players who have
won all four Slams), though only six of them did it in the Open Era, with
Sharapova being the most recent in 2012 when she won her first French Open
title by defeating Sara Errani in the final.
