Maria Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam singles champion, topped the fan vote for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in her first year on the ballot. This is a crucial step toward being selected for the Hall of Fame’s next class.
The results were announced by the organization on Friday. American doubles team Bob and Mike Bryan came in second, while Canada’s Daniel Nestor finished in third.
The Hall of Fame reported that tens of thousands of fans from 120 countries participated in the voting. The fan vote is one part of the selection process. The second part involves a group of journalists, historians, and Hall of Famers who will vote on the final list for the class of 2025.
“I am incredibly grateful to the fans all around the world who supported me during the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s fan votes,” Sharapova said in a statement. “It is a tremendous honor to be considered for the Hall of Fame, and having the fans’ support makes it all the more special.”
Sharapova became the first Russian woman to achieve the No. 1 ranking in the world. She won Wimbledon in 2004, the U.S. Open in 2006, and the Australian Open in 2008. She also claimed the French Open twice, in 2012 and 2014.
In addition to her singles success, Sharapova was part of Russia’s Fed Cup championship team in 2008 and earned a silver medal at the London Olympics in 2012.
To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, candidates need to receive at least 75% from the combined results of the official voting group and the additional percentage from the fan vote. Sharapova will gain an extra three percentage points from winning the fan vote.
The Bryans, who won 16 Grand Slam doubles titles, will get an additional two percentage points, and Nestor, with eight Grand Slam doubles titles, will receive one extra percentage point.
The announcement for the Hall of Fame’s next class will be made late next month.
