Maria Sharapova, a known for plenty of on-court grit and off-court attention, and Bob and Mike Bryan, twins who won a record 16 major titles in men's doubles together, are first-ballot selections for the .
The Newport, Rhode Island-based Hall announced the Class of 2025 results Thursday.
Canadian Daniel Nestor, who won 12 Grand Slam titles in men鈥檚 or mixed doubles, did not receive the 75% of the vote required to qualify for the Hall in balloting among members of the media, historians, Hall of Fame members, industry experts and fans. This was the Toronto native's third 鈥� and final 鈥� year as a candidate.
Sharapova won at least one championship at each of her sport's four most prestigious events, making her one of 10 women in tennis history to complete a career Grand Slam, and she was the first Russian woman to reach No. 1 in the WTA singles rankings. after a career that included 15 years in the spotlight, and multiple operations on her right shoulder.
The Bryan brothers also compiled a career Grand Slam and spent 438 weeks at No. 1 in the ATP doubles rankings. They won a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and helped the United States win the 2007 Davis Cup title; that will go to Malaga, Spain, for next month's finals to compete for the country's first triumph in that competition since then.
Mike Bryan 鈥� he鈥檚 right-handed, and his brother is a lefty 鈥� is the career leader with 18 major men鈥檚 doubles trophies overall; .
Sharapova became an instant star when she won her first major title at Wimbledon in 2004 at age 17 by beating Serena Williams in the final, then collected the trophies at the U.S. Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and the and 2014.
Sharapova helped Russia win the team competition now known as the Billie Jean King Cup in 2008, and she claimed a silver medal in singles at the 2012 Olympics, losing to Williams in the final.
All the while, Sharapova earned millions of dollars more in endorsement deals than prize money.
鈥淭here are a couple of sides of me,鈥� Sharapova said in an interview with The Associated Press in 2006, shortly before she won the title at Flushing Meadows. 鈥淭here鈥檚 the Maria that鈥檚 a tennis player. There鈥檚 the Maria that is a normal girl. And there鈥檚 the Maria who鈥檚 a businesswoman. And that鈥檚 where the 鈥楳aria Sharapova brand鈥� comes into play.鈥�
At the 2016 Australian Open, Sharapova tested positive for the newly banned drug meldonium and initially was handed a two-year suspension. After appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Sharapova was given a reduced penalty when it was determined that she bore 鈥渓ess than significant fault鈥� in the case and could not 鈥渂e considered to be an intentional doper.鈥�
The Bryans and Sharapova will be inducted in August.
___
Howard Fendrich has been the AP鈥檚 tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here:
___
AP tennis:
Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
