HoF induction

Maria Sharapova has never been short on spectacle, and her induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame (HoF) neatly fits the narrative. More than just another blazer presentation, the ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island over the weekend effectively codifies her place in the game. She elbowed her way alongside the sport’s greats on the strength of five major championships and a career Grand Slam, and also through her peculiar mix of grit, glamour, and gradation. From the moment she stunned Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2004 as a teenager, she seemed, well, inevitable. In retrospect, the wins, the endorsements, and even the contradictions were all part of the same unfolding design.

- ANTHONY L. CUAYCONG

Certainly, Sharapova’s record on the court leaves no room for argument. She rose to Number One in the world and spread her triumphs across every surface. She claimed titles in New York, Melbourne, Paris, and London. She carried Russia to team victory in 2008. She stood on the Olympic podium with silver in 2012. She overcame injuries that would have undone a less disciplined competitor. And amid her suspension in 2016, she could well have folded in ignominy; instead, it became another test of resolve. She returned, produced diminished results, and only then chose to leave the stage on her own terms in 2020. For all the controversy, she remained defined not by concession bu