Five years after her official retirement, Maria Sharapova was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. And that was the moment that kicked off the 2025 US Open in style. But the world of tennis isn’t done yet. Yes, we might just get to witness the return of the Russian star at the US Open, but for a reason other than making a comeback at the age of 38. Sharapova will return to Flushing Meadows and stand in the center of the court to receive an official US Open ring. And that’s going to be special for a pretty impressive reason. 

We all know that Sharapova has a trend of being unapologetically herself and became the first tennis fashion influencer in the world. This time, she plans on entering the court wearing a tennis dress, reminiscent of the one she wore when she won the 2006 US Open. The Russian claimed, “It’s a version of the dress for someone that’s grown up.”

Back in 2006, she wore a black Givenchy dress that was inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s outfit in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. This look was further enhanced with some Swarovski crystals on the neckline. It was indeed the first evening dress that a female contender wore to the court. And this time, she’s going to catch all the attention with the new version of this dress. This dress is a sleeveless one, with shining crystals embedded on the neckline as well. Ending a few inches above the ankles, it’s going to be an elegant addition to Sharapova’s collection. 

Remember what Serena Williams said about Maria Sharapova while introducing the Russian into the Hall of Fame? Williams said, “She showed us all how to take excellence on the court and turn it into excellence in business, and fashion, branding and everything that she touched. She changed how women not only approached tennis, but sports and opportunity. She showed us that you can be fierce on the court and strategic off the court, and unapologetically herself the entire time.”

Now, with the new dress, we’re going to witness a fierce roar at the center court. After all, Sharapova is deeply grateful for the chances that tennis provided her. Sharing motivation to the rising athletes, she stated, “When voices inevitably tell you to ease up, to round your edges, dull your ambition, I hope you can find a way to ignore them. Compete fiercely. Raise your standard. Set goals that intimidate you. And don’t forget to celebrate your victories, no matter how small.”

But there’s more to the story. The induction of Sharapova into the International Tennis Hall of Fame also highlighted the friendly side of the relationship between Williams and the Russian. Let’s see what they had to say about each other. 

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova flip their rivalry into friendship

Williams and Sharapova became pretty close friends after the Russian put a stop to her tennis career. There was a time when the ‘Queen of the Court’ dedicated a song to her rival during the 2024 ESPY awards. But things were a bit more emotional during the recent Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Williams confessed, “There are only a few players in my career who challenged me to be the very best, every single time we stepped out on the court. Maria Sharapova was one of them. Whenever I saw her name next to mine in the draw, I made sure I practiced harder.”

Of course, the two rivals are the perfect yin to the yang examples. And Maria Sharapova knew this pretty well, too. Responding to Williams’ kind gesture, she said, “It’s a gift to have someone who motivates you to reach those heights. And I’ll forever be grateful for bringing out the best in me. We both knew no other way than to fight our hearts out. … We both hated to lose more than anything on this earth, and we both knew that the other was the biggest obstacle between ourselves and the trophy.”

But for now, all our focus is on Sharapova’s new dress that’s going to blow our minds. Needless to say, it’s going to be the center of attention. But do let us know your thoughts on the dress. And for more insights from Flushing Meadows, follow EssentiallySports live blog of the 2025 US Open.