Fans can’t believe their eyes as Serena Williams inducts Maria Sharapova into International Tennis Hall of Fame

Maria Sharapova was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday night, and the introductory speech was given by none other than former rival Serena Williams. The American tennis legend made a surprise appearance and said, “In 2004, when Maria was just 17 years old, she stunned the world and won Wimbledon. To this day, she calls it the highlight of her career. Today, I call it one of my hardest losses. The match didn’t just make her a champion. It actually made her a star and launched one of the most talked about and controversial rivalries in tennis.”

The pair were epic rivals during their respective playing careers. They met 22 times between 2004 and 2019, with Williams leading 20-2 in their head-to-head, which includes 8-1 at the majors and 3-1 in the major finals.

The meet-up of Serena and Sharapova also sent social media into a state of meltdown, especially after the American legend roasted the Russian for her ‘grunting’ while playing tennis.

One fan wrote, “Lol those grunting shows fierceness and determination of each play from the athletes.:

“Listening to Serena Williams induct Maria Sharapova into the international tennis hall of fame is so amazing. What started as a hard fought rivalry has turned into a good friendship with immense respect. I’m so glad I started watching women’s tennis in the 2000’s,” another fan added.

“Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova—back together again. My heart is so happy”, wrote a fan.

The pair’s rivalry was a significant part of both players’ careers as the most visible women’s tennis players of the 2000s and 2010s. It was initially very competitive, with the Russian winning two of their first three meetings, which also saw her clinch her first major, at the 2004 Wimbledon C’ships. But from then onwards, Williams dominated the rivalry, winning all 19 of their subsequent meetings.