US Open fan favorites Maria Sharapova and Bob and Mike Bryan will officially be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday night, but they may be better at preparing for a Grand Slam match than they are at their induction speeches.
“I’ve never written a speech,” Sharapova said at a press conference Friday afternoon from the ITHF’s Casino Theater in Newport, Rhode Island. “I feel like I’m going to go off script.”
But Bob Bryan doesn’t believe in the power of improvisation. “Every Hall of Famer says that. I’m like, ‘How long did it take you to write that speech?’ ‘Oh, I just went up there and spoke what I felt on the day.’ That’s bull…!”
His strategy: “I think I’m just going to wing it. Let’s just see how I do!”
While Mike and Bob Bryan admitted they still haven’t worked out if they’ll speak together or separately, Mike seemed to believe more in the power of speech preparation. “It’s basically here in Notes,” he said, gesturing to his phone.
As ready as Sharapova is to go off the cuff, she did also say, “I would say it’s 80% there.”
But there is one aspect that Bob is concerned about, “Is this the first year that the speeches are on the clock? Like [that] there's a time limit?”
Before the ITHF president Patrick McEnroe, honorary president Kim Clijsters, or CEO Dan Faber had a chance to reply, Sharapova jumped in and said, “Oh screw the clock! We’re breaking rules. We're not getting any fines for this!”
All joking aside, the weight of this honor has not been lost on the Class of 2025 inductees. “I become like a teenager—I get so giddy. I’m so excited,” Sharapova said. “I formed the most amazing relationships [and] partnerships with these people. We obviously have moved on to different lives. So just to reconnect with everyone has shaped your careers. I didn't realize how special that would feel. That's been the most beautiful part of the last 24 hours for me.”
The ITHF ceremony is part of a reimagined three-day Induction Celebration — including a Hall of Fame Celebrity Pro Classic and live podcast recordings with Andy Roddick, McEnroe and Clijsters — all culminating with the induction ceremony held for the first time on the night before the US Open kicks off on Sunday.
