It all started in mid-September. Maria Sharapova, thanks to the fans’ nominations, became an official candidate for a place in the Tennis Hall of Fame . The final choice was to be made by a committee consisting of journalists, historians and already selected members of the “Hall of Fame”.
The verdict has just been announced. The 37-year-old Russian is yet another tennis player who has joined the distinguished group. In the decisive vote, she received over 75 percent of the votes, which was a condition for nomination .
Sharapova in Tennis Hall of Fame. The choice is considered controversial. Why?
Sharapova is a former world number one . She has five Grand Slam titles and the title of vice-champion of the London Olympics in singles. She has won Roland Garros twice, and played in the final in the French capital for three years in a row.
She earned nearly $40 million on the court. She skillfully multiplied her income in business, using her huge popularity. At the moment, her fortune is estimated at around $230 million
There are many opinions that despite her sporting successes, she should not be inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame. There are voices that she does not deserve such an honor because of the incident in 2016 that cast a shadow over her career. At that time, she was suspended due to taking a prohibited substance .
