“Former rival, former fan, and forever friend.” – Serena Williams 🥺⁣ ⁣ Tennis fans were in for a surprise at the International Tennis Hall of Fame when Maria Sharapova chose none other than Serena Williams to introduce her during Saturday night’s induction ceremony — and Serena’s heartfelt speech had us all tearing up. 🥹⁣ ⁣ Sharapova, the first Russian woman to reach No. 1 in the rankings, is one of only 10 women to complete the career Grand Slam. Across her career, she won five Grand Slam singles titles (Wimbledon 2004, US Open 2006, Australian Open 2008, French Open 2012 & 2014), the 2004 WTA Tour Championships, and earned a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. She has also won 36 WTA singles titles and now joins the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025. 🏆 ⁣ ⁣ Williams drew gasps from the Newport crowd when she stepped on stage to honor her longtime competitor-turned-friend – fitting, given their storied rivalry. The two faced off 22 times on tour, including four showdowns in major ...