Brooks Brothers Blazers At Tennis Hall Of Fame

By Matthew Longcore

Each summer Brooks Brothers has the honor of presenting custom designed blazers to the inductees at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. My wife and I were invited by our friends from Brooks Brothers to attend this event last year and we were delighted to attend again this year. The induction celebration took place last week from Thursday, August 21 to Saturday, August 23. The inductees for the Class of 2025 are Maria Sharapova and the Bryan brothers.

Built in 1880 as a social club on Newport’s famed Bellevue Avenue, only a few years after the first Wimbledon tournament in 1877, the Casino hosted its first lawn tennis tournament in the summer of 1881. Now known as the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF), the Newport Casino was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony Highlights

Class of 2025: Fit for Fame Blazer Presentation Dinner

This year Brooks Brothers added a greater level of personalization to the blazers for the inductees. It is the first year that the blazers have designs that are specific to each inductee. Each blazer is crafted with a custom liner, uniquely designed to tell the story of their iconic careers, from championships to unforgettable moments on and off the court. Here is more information about the inductees and their Brooks Brothers blazers.

Maria Sharapova: Fit for Fame Blazer Presentation Dinner

The Bryan Brothers: Fit for Fame Blazer Presentation Dinner

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova is one of only ten women in tennis history to achieve a career Grand Slam in singles and topped the world rankings five times throughout her nearly 20-year WTA career. Sharapova won her first of five major singles titles in 2004 at Wimbledon. The 17-year-old’s victory over six-time major champion Serena Williams was described by commentators as “the most stunning upset in memory.”

After her victory at Wimbledon (2004), Sharapova followed with titles at the US Open (2006), the Australian Open (2008), and twice at Roland-Garros (2012, 2014). According to the ITHF: “Sharapova’s game was built on a fearsome backhand, an aggressive baseline style, and a powerful serve.”

Sharapova was born in Russia in 1987. At the age of six, Martina Navratilova noticed Sharapova’s potential and recommended that she train in the United States. In 1995 she joined the famed IMG Academy in Florida. In 2001, at age 14, Sharapova made her professional debut at an ITF clay court event in Sarasota.  According to the ITHF: “From 2003 to 2015, she won at least one WTA title, a streak lasting 13 years; only three women—all Hall of Famers—have longer streaks: Martina Navratilova (21 years), Chris Evert (18 years), and Stefanie Graf (14 years).”

Maria Sharapova delivered a heartfelt speech in which she expressed her gratitude to her supporters and family, including her mother. She even mentioned her strand of pearls, a timeless classic as reported here in Ivy Style.

Thank you to my mom. I know you were too nervous to watch my matches, but I hope you’re watching this. Today I’m wearing the very first Tiffany pearls you ever purchased when we earned our big paycheck. You are a true testament to the unspoken lessons you teach me every day. Elegance, kindness, unconditional love. I love you from the bottom of my heart, and I’m so lucky to call you my best friend.

I said it once, and it rings even truer now. In giving my life to tennis, tennis gave me a life. And what a remarkable, remarkable life, and I’m so deeply grateful for it. Thank you.

Maria Sharapova: A Legacy of Resilience and Strength Now in the Hall of Fame

The Bryan Brothers

Identical twin brothers Bob and Mike Bryan are American former professional doubles tennis players. The Bryan brothers are the most successful men’s doubles team of all time.  The brothers are identical twins with one key distinction: Mike plays right-handed, and Bob plays left-handed. According to the ITHF: “This mirror-image symmetry gave them a unique tactical advantage, allowing them to cover the court seamlessly and attack from both sides with equal potency.” Together the Bryan brothers captured 16 major titles: six at the Australian Open (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013), five at the US Open (2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014), three at Wimbledon (2006, 2011, 2013), and two at Roland-Garros (2003, 2013).

The Bryan brothers were born in California in 1978. They captured their first tournament title at the age of 6. The brothers attended Stanford University on full tennis scholarships. In the 1998 they won the NCAA doubles championship and finished the season as the nation’s No. 1-ranked collegiate doubles team. According to the ITHF: “From 2005 to 2014, they claimed at least one major title in 10 consecutive seasons—an unprecedented stretch of consistency. They also hold the record for most weeks at No. 1 in the ATP doubles rankings, spending 438 weeks at the top, including a record 139 consecutive weeks from February 25, 2013, to October 25, 2015.”

The legendary tennis great Stan Smith described the Bryan brothers as true gentlemen:

It’s an honor to say a couple of words about the Bryans. I’ve known them for what seems like forever. The most important thing that they did is they brought a tremendous amount of class to the game of doubles.

Bob and Mike Bryan: Induction Ceremony Highlights

Fit For Fame Dinner and Courting Fashion

The International Hall of Fame induction celebration was a spectacular weekend in beautiful Newport, Rhode Island under perfect blue skies. For me personally, the highlights of the weekend were the Fit For Fame Dinner at the Newport Casino and Courting Fashion at Marble House, one of the historic properties managed by The Preseservation Society of Newport County. These iconic Gilded Age settings provided an elegant backdrop for two magical evenings.

At the Fit For Fame Dinner, my wife and I had the honor of sitting with representatives from Brooks Brothers and Catalyst Brands, Arthur Wayne, Vice President Communications, and Michell Costa, Public Relations. Kiel James Patrick and Sarah Vickers Patrick, the husband and wife team behind the KJP brand, were also at our table.

I have been a KJP fan for many years but this was the first time I had the opportunity to meet Kiel and Sarah. They are a lovely couple, as delightful in real life as they appear in social media. Although Kiel and I met in person last weekend for the first time, it felt much more like reuniting with an old friend.

The Kiel James Patrick brand is well-known for its celebration of classic New England style and the American Dream. A decade ago, KJP was featured several times here on Ivy Style, including an article from Christian Chensvold titled The Preppiest Man On Instagram.  Over the years KJP has collaborated with Brooks Brothers on a few occasions, including American-made braided belts and bracelets.

Kiel has credited Ralph Lauren as the main inspiration for his brand. Kiel and Sarah appeared in Ralph Lauren’s book celebrating the iconic Polo shirt and their son, Harry, starred in the Polo back-to-school campaign filmed at St. George’s School. Most recently, Kiel and Sarah attended the ceremony when Ralph Lauren was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

As an architectural historian and an avid sailor, I especially enjoyed the Courting Fashion event at historic Marble House. In 1892, William Kissam Vanderbilt (1849-1920) built Marble House as a 39^th birthday present for his wife, Alva. The house was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt (1827-1895).

The Vanderbilts had three children. Consuelo Vanderbilt (1877-1964) became the 9^th Duchess of Marlborough and is the inspiration for storylines in Downton Abbey and The Gilded Age from Julian Fellowes. Her story features prominently in the book To Marry An English Lord by Carol Mc.D. Wallace and Gail MacColl, both of whom worked on The Official Preppy Handbook. (1980).

Consuelo’s brothers each become prominent sportsmen – William Kissam Vanderbilt II (1878-1944) in auto racing and Harold Stirling Vanderbilt (1884-1970) in sailing. The two Vanderbilt boys each attended St. Mark’s School and Harvard University.

Harold S. Vanderbilt was an accomplished yachtsman who served as commodore (1922-1924) of the New York Yacht Club and became a three-time defender (1930-1937) of the America’s Cup.  Vanderbilt was the helmsman for three American J-Class sloops – Enterprise (1930), Rainbow (1934), and Ranger (1937) – that successfully defended the America’s Cup against challengers from the United Kingdom.

Dressed in clothes from Brooks Brothers – a 3/2 roll pink sport coat, white collared blue dress shirt, and seersucker pants – I felt right at home at Marble House. It was an unforgettable evening.

I am already eagerly awaiting the return of the International Tennis Hall of Fame induction celebration next year, the highlight of the summer.