What could be more thrilling for an athlete than being inducted into the Hall of Fame for the sport they’ve dedicated their life to? For most, it’s the pinnacle of recognition, the ultimate reward for years of hard work and sacrifice. But what happens when that honor becomes the center of heated debate, leaving fans and experts divided? Ouch! That would hit anyone hard. Unfortunately, this isn’t the plot of a suspense-filled drama—it’s the real-life situation tennis legend Maria Sharapova is currently facing. 

In a remarkable success for the former Russian tennis sensation, Sharapova was named to the Tennis Hall of Fame on the back of her successful tennis career. Having retired after the Australian Open in 2020, the Russian star entered the illustrious group more than four years after her retirement and will be a part of the Class of 2025. This also led to an emotional message from the former player herself 

Taking to her X, Sharapova wrote, “Incredibly grateful to receive this honor. A big thank you to The Hall of Fame, and to all the voters. Most importantly, this recognition is such a beautiful reminder of the deep appreciation I have for my fans.” But this latest feat for the player does not seem to sit well with many. As soon as a post by Tennis Channel detailing her achievement gained traction on X, several users expressed their disappointment in her inclusion into the glorious club. 

Responding to the post, several critiques of the star player lashed out at the decision and claimed that it is nothing but a “disgrace” to the sport. They also highlighted the doping saga that Sharapova found herself trapped in and took sharp digs at the player.

Fans express resentment over Maria Sharapova’s inclusion in the Tennis Hall of Fame

Taking to X, one user wrote, “no she used illegal drugs.” The doping saga for the former player began in 2016 when she acknowledged consuming meldonium, a banned substance by WADA. Sharapova had then acknowledged that she was unaware of the updated list of prohibited substances and hence failed to pass the test. “I had been legally taking the medicine for the past 10 years, but on January 1 the rules had changed, and meldonium became a prohibited substance, which I had not known,” she told the press in an interview in 2016 at Los Angeles. This led to widespread criticism of the player and has continued to impact her life even after her retirement from the sport. More such reactions continued to follow in the meantime. 

Responding to the post, one user claimed discrimination in the sport and wrote, “If anyone ever asks you what white privilege looks like  …just show them this Absolutely disgraceful #smh.” Interestingly, this is not the first time that the debate about the treatment given to white players as compared to that for the black athletes came to light involving Sharapova. When the star player tested positive for the banned substance, several people compared the fate that one of her fiercest rivals, Serena Williams, would have faced if similar allegations were found against her. 

Remember, the rivalry between Maria Sharapova and Williams was one of the most discussed during the careers of both players. And while Sharapova served a 15-month suspension for the controversy, fans believed that the outcome would have been stringent if it was any black athlete at fault. Similar reactions against the star player continued to follow from other users, who quickly joined the fray. 

“Tennis wise she’s earned it However there is that doping issue. My guess is Nike once again got its way with tennis,” wrote another user. For those unaware, Sharapova proved her mettle on the courts during her illustrious career. She won 5 Grand Slams and proved her dominance on all three surfaces. She was also the silver medalist in the Olympic games of 2012 and became the world No. 1 for the first time on 22 August 2005 at the age of 18, thereby becoming the first Russian woman to top the singles rankings. But despite this success, her doping controversy overshadowed her achievements and seems to have continued until now. 

One more user lashed out at the player and wrote, “Travesty. She’s a dirty doper. Period.” Interestingly, Sharapova has lashed out at her critics previously over the entire matter. In April 2017, Eugenie Bouchard called the player “a cheater” who should not “be allowed to play again.” Sharapova did not shy away from responding to this in an interview with BBC and said, “I think those are comments not based on facts, and therefore I don’t take them into consideration.I don’t think it’s for them to really have an opinion, because they don’t have the facts.”

Yet another lashed out at the player and wrote, “Dopingova,” highlighting the controversy that surrounded Maria Sharapova’s career. Now, it would be interesting to see if the Russian sensation comes out to respond to her critique yet again, or will she leave behind the flak as she looks forward to receiving the grand success.