Serena Williams reconciles with Maria Sharapova: More shocking moments when celeb rivals made up

Serena Williams shocked everyone when she came out to celebrate her fiercest on-court rival and fellow tennis star, Maria Sharapova, at her latest induction ceremony for the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

The retired athlete explained her decision to do honour her former rival with the words, “When I called her, she asked me if I would introduce her into the Hall of Fame, and before she even finished her question, I said, ‘Yes!’ loud, immediately, with my whole chest, because, of course, it’s Maria. I was honored.”

Thus, the world watched in awe as two former celebrity rivals publicly buried the hatchet, with their long held animosity and differences brushed aside — most likely, for good this time.

To that end, it is pertinent to note that the two multiple time Grand Slam winners have now joined a rather intriguing list of famous foes who were also known as fierce adversaries but later came to resolve their odds.

Here are few such other names:

Taylor Swift & Katy Perry

While Taylor Swift and Katy Perry were initially fine with one another, having exploded in the industry around the same time, the two pop stars later went on a rather memorable feuding spree and the reason turned out to be some sort of professional jealousy.

The singers who took aim at each other through respective diss tracks (Taylor with Bad Blood and Katy with Swish Swish), were found to be feuding due to a mix up of backup dancers which both of them preferred for their own tours.

How it ended: Taylor Swift received a literal olive branch from Katy Perry in her dressing room during the 2018 Reputation tour, with the phrase “deeply sorry” included in a note which accompanied the peace offering.

Taylor responded to the gesture with a simple “Thank you Katy” – a caption she shared on her Instagram story.

Madonna & Lady Gaga

Another set of mega pop stars, albeit from different generations, Madonna and Lady Gaga came to blows over the former taking issue with her younger counterpart’s alleged rip off of her song Express Yourself, which fans pointed out as the clear inspiration for Gaga’s Born This Way.

Madonna went on to label the imitation as “reductive”, while the Judas singer claimed that her senior artist is “biggest pop star of all time”, but also maintained in the same interview, “What I do is different.”

How it ended: Without offering much public closure about how they came to reconcile, Madonna and Lady Gaga seemingly let bygones be bygones as the two posed for an informal picture together after Gaga’s win at the Oscars in 2019.

“Don’t mess with Italian girls,” Madonna captioned the snap of herself with her former nemesis.

Chris Evert & Martina Navratilova

Years before Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova’s rivalry dominated tennis circles, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova set the court on fire whenever the two sporting personalities clashed head-to-head.

Known for their contrasting play styles — Chris’ cool and calm approach against Martina’s aggressive game — both remained rather curt with each other courtside.

How it ended: Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova’s fierce rivalry eventually blossomed into a heartfelt friendship years down the line.

“Chrissie-n-Martina” (as they came to be known) gradually transitioned towards a lifelong attachment due to various reasons — mainly pertaining to the instances when the duo settled down close to each other in Aspen, Colorado post retirement as well as when their shared experience of battling cancer inevitably brought them closer still.

Liam Gallagher & Noel Gallagher

Keeping it right in the family, brothers and members of Oasis, Liam and Noel Gallagher had been at each other’s throats for the better part of their shared life and career.

After years of animosity between the two, Noel Gallagher departed from Oasis citing “verbal and violent intimidation” from his brother, bandmates, and management — resulting in the rock group’s split in 2009.

How it ended: The Gallagher brothers famously reunited for a revival tour with their former band this year, an event which kicked off in July 2025 after the initial announcement in 2024.

Their announcement noted that while their reconciliation did not come down to any “great revelatory moment”, it occurred naturally given “the gradual realisation that the time is right.”

Jay-Z & Solange Knowles

Moving on to another family feud, the in laws brother and sister notoriously made headlines for an explosive clash when Solange attacked Jay-Z in an elevator at the Met Gala in 2014.

While there was no concrete confirmation regarding the potential reasons for the hostility, it is widely believed that the singer-songwriter clashed with the rapper over his marital infidelity against her elder sister, Beyoncé.

How it ended: As rifts within families usually go, Jay-Z and Solange continue to foster a close relationship post their infamous physical altercation.

Notably, the representatives for the family had issued a statement shortly after the public incident, part of which claimed that the pair had “apologized to each other” and subsequently “moved forward as a united family.”