Gustavo Kuerten has been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Guga was the French Open champion in 1997, 2000 and 2001. Guga was one of my favourite players of all time.. he had such a relaxed forehand and backhand and a very funny grunt.
The 2012 class will be inducted on July 14.
Mike Davies has just been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Currently Mike is the CEO of the New Haven Open tennis tournament, so its great to see him getting some more recognition within tennis.
The 76-year-old Davies is credited with bringing about the first major network television broadcast of a tennis tournament, introducing colored clothing to a pro tour, and was the first to put chairs on the court during changeovers.
Davies was elected as a contributor to the game. The rest of the class of 2012 will be announced in the next month.
On July 9, tennis legend Andre Agassi has formally accepted his invitation to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.
The 8-time Grand Slam champion has achieved so much throughout his career and went through some tough times as well as some great moments. He was joined at the induction ceremony by long-time tennis supporter and WTA pioneer Fern Lee “Peachy” Kellmeyer. The ceremony was one of the largest ever get-togethers at the event, with 200 people in Agassi’s support group who attended the Class of 2011 ceremony. Agassi’s wife, Steffi Graf and their two children were part of the crowd as well.
“I’m thrilled and humbled and quite honestly a bit terrified to be here standing in front of you today,” said Agassi. “At age five, my father told me to win Wimbledon. At age seven, he told me to win all of the Grand Slams. And more times than I can remember, he told me to get into the Hall of Fame,” Agassi humorously explained. “Later, at age 29, he told me to marry Stefanie Graf. Dad, don’t every stop telling what to do.”
This is a great day in tennis history and I want to thank Andre personally for giving us all that he has given, from the wacky outfits to the great championship memories. You are now a legend for all time and I’m glad that the Tennis Hall of Fame has recognized all that you have done for the sport and everything you are still doing for the sport, because it is people like you who strive for tennis to be the sport that it is today. Thank you so much for everything, Andre.
Pauline Betz Addie who was entered into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1965, has won 5 Grand Slam singles titles as well as being the top ranked woman player from the United States in the 1940′s, has died on May 31st, 2011. She had suffered from Parkinson’s disease and died in her sleep at an assisted living facility in Potomac, Maryland.
Some will remember her for touring the country as a pro with Gussie Moran and top male players of the day such as Bobby Riggs and Jack Kramer. After her career, she played the game she loved into her 80′s and was also a teaching professional in the Washington D.C. area.
She is survived by five children, one brother, five grandchildren and a great-grandson.
You will be greatly missed Pauline, and thank you for your contribution to the game. RIP.
Nicolas Mahut has started to notice back in France he is getting recognised in the streets. “People on the street congratulate me,” he said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, less than a week after he played in — but lost — the longest match in tennis history. “This is weird. Because for me, it’s still painful and disappointing.”
“About the loss, people are thinking further than win and loss. It’s more than that,” he said of the well-wishers who are more interested in his place in history than he is — for now, at least. “I need time. It’s still really painful for me. But I think after a few weeks I will feel like we did something special, John and I.”
Isner lost his second-round match in straight sets, then returned to the United States to throw out the first pitch at a New York Yankees game and read a Top Ten list on CBS’ “Late Show with David Letterman.” Mahut said he has done interviews for newspapers and TV shows in France, and French Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot called to set up a meeting.
Mahut said the International Tennis Hall of Fame asked for a racket and shirt that he wore in the match; he will donate the well-worn equipment when he goes to the Newport, R.I., museum for next week’s Hall of Fame Championships.
On Saturday Monica Seles was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, big congratulations!
The 35-year old captured 53 Tour titles during her career; was the top lady baller for a total of 178 non-consecutive weeks (fifth all-time); won the 1991 and 1992 US Opens, the 1990-92 French Opens, the 1991-93 and 1996 Australian Opens; and earned the big end of the year prize at the Tour Championships from 1990-92.
Monica had a very memorable career which included the worst single event to ever happen in tennis, back in Hamburg in 1993 in which she was attacked with a knife by a fan. That was a very big turning point in her career but it was just amazing to see her return 27 months later and claim the Australian Open in 1996.
Growing up as a little girl, I could never dream I would be inducted into the Hall of Fame. I have a hard time believing it now.
