Maria Sharapova Admits She Was Nervous to Ask Serena Williams to Induct Her

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News (1 / 1) 22.04.2026 21:55 / Angela

Maria Sharapova admits she hesitated before reaching out to longtime rival Serena Williams for a very public favor — and their private reunion was more personal than anyone expected. Read on to discover the full story!

An unexpected ask at Time100

Speaking with Gayle King at the Time100 Summit on April 22, 2026, Sharapova explained why she chose Serena to introduce her at the 2025 International Tennis Hall of Fame: many of her toughest battles and biggest wins happened against Williams, and there is deep mutual respect between them.

A text that turned into an hour-long conversation

Sharapova said she texted Serena because she feared calling might go unanswered. Williams called back immediately and they ended up talking for more than an hour about careers, family and business — the Hall of Fame request only came in the final five minutes.