A longtime tennis feud was put to bed when Serena Williams inducted her former rival Maria Sharapova into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Sharapova, 38, was inducted on Aug. 24, and to the surprise of many, received a ceremonial introduction from the 23-time Grand Slam champ the night prior in Newport, Rhode Island.
“I’m probably the last person you expected to see standing here tonight,” said Williams, 43, during the event. “Honestly, a few years ago, I would’ve said the same thing. But years after getting to know her better—we now call each other friends.”
The feud stemmed from the 2004 Wimbledon Championships, where Sharapova defeated two-time defending champ Williams and went on to earn the women’s singles title at age 17.
First established in 1877, Wimbledon is considered the world’s oldest tennis tournament and one of the four Grand Slam events, including the U.S. Open, Australian Open, and French Open.
“There are only a few players in my career who challenged me to be the very best, every single time we stepped out on the court,” said Williams over the weekend.
“Maria Sharapova was one of them. Whenever I saw her name next to mine in the draw, I made sure I practiced harder.”
Speaking to People magazine, the Russian tennis star praised Williams for showing up and delivering a “phenomenal speech,” highlighting the dedication and discipline they both have for the sport.
“It was really thoughtful that she accepted being there,” she told the outlet in the interview published Aug. 27.
“There’s no one else that I thought of for this occasion, and I think she also realized how impactful it would’ve been. ... So yeah, it was a really special moment.”
Sharapova, who was the highest-paid female athlete for 11 consecutive years following her Wimbledon success, said that despite spending time competing on the court, the two did not realize how much they had in common until getting to know each other.
“We didn’t know much about each other,” she noted. “And post-playing days, we got to know each other and we were like, ‘We are so alike! We have a sense of humor. We are able to laugh things off.’”
Williams echoed that sentiment during the induction ceremony, referring to the milestone event as an “honor” to introduce her.
“When a friend calls, you answer. This is women supporting each other and respecting each other’s greatness,” she said.
Sharapova retired in 2020 at the age of 32 after earning five Grand Slam singles titles.
