Sharapova Inducted into Tennis Hall of Fame: It All Started with Her Father's $700 Adventure
Maria Sharapova was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame this year. In her interview, she had a moment where she spoke about her father.
(Interviewer) "I want to talk about your relationship with your dad. You came here to this country with him when you were seven years old. And my understanding is that he had just $700 in his pocket. What is that like to share this moment with him?"
(Sharapova) "He didn't have much. We didn't have much as a family. But we had each other, and my father had a very big vision. And, you know, you could say he was very optimistic. You could say he was crazy. From the outside, especially now that I have a three-year-old boy, I realize it even more. I started playing tennis when I was four, and I cannot imagine my son starting at that age. But when I look back, especially as a parent, I realize how crazy it was to arrive in a new country with so very little and just a big hope and dream. And then, to get to a stage over 30 years later, and to celebrate and be there together—that was a very special moment."Looking back as a parent, I keenly realize how crazy it was to arrive in a new country with almost nothing, relying only on big hopes and dreams. To reach this stage over 30 years later and celebrate this moment with my father was truly a special event."
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Sharapova is one of only ten players in women's tennis history to achieve a Career Grand Slam, and her first title was the 2006 US Open. I was fortunate enough to witness that moment.
The mixed doubles final took place after this women's final. Martina Navratilova, paired with Bob Bryan of the Bryan brothers (who were also inducted into the Hall of Fame this year), capped off her final day as an active player with a Grand Slam victory. It was an incredible day (or, to be precise, two days, as the mixed doubles match went past midnight) where I was able to see the victories of both an up-and-coming Sharapova (then 19) and the peerless legend Navratilova (then 49) up close.
By the way, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is in Newport, Rhode Island; baseball's is in Cooperstown, New York; and basketball's is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Except for the Track and Field Hall of Fame in New York City, New York, they all require a fair amount of driving to visit, but I visited them all when I lived in New York. They are all highly recommended facilities for sports fans.