International Quarterly 

In This Issue
A Hall of Famer Back in Action!

Former & Current World Number 1's meet in Brazil

In November, Guga Kuerten and Novak Djokovic faced off on court for the first time in a exciting match in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The packed venue, Maracanazinho, was completely filled with support by the famous Torcida Brasileira, cheering for both Djokovic and their beloved Guga.
Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, July 8 - 14, 2013
July 8 - 14, 2013 
John Isner and Ryan Harrison to play in Newport!

Ryan Harrison

As we look to the year ahead, the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships is already off to a great start, with No. 1 American John Isner and his fellow American star Ryan Harrison as early commitments to the field. Stay tuned for the announcements of other top players from around the world who are heading to Newport this summer!
   
Click here to visit our new website for the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships!   
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David Haggerty named
Chairman, CEO and President of the USTA

Dave Haggerty
 
In September, the ITHF was glad to welcome Dave Haggerty to our Board of Directors, and now with the start of the new year, we congratulate him on his new role as  the 51st president of the USTA.

A long-time tennis industry leader, Dave brings tremendous experience to the role, having served as Chairman and CEO of Head USA, and  held executive positions with Prince and Dunlop.

In addition to being a member of our Board of Directors, Dave serves on the Hall of Fame's International Committee. We are grateful for Dave's support of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and we look forward to working with him in his new role.  
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Welcoming  
Tennis Fans from
Around the World 
    
The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum welcomes thousands of visitors from over 55 countries each year. Recently, we were pleased to count Martin Guntrip, Club Secretary at The All England Lawn Tennis Club among our guests from abroad. Here's what Martin had to say about his visit:  

"The International Tennis Hall of Fame is fascinating and highly enjoyable to visit. From the exceptional museum with the history of tennis to the wonderful grass courts to the historic court tennis facility and the indoor courts, the ITHF is a must-see for tennis fans."

Martin Guntrip with club members at the Hall of Fame Indoor Tennis Club. 
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Hall of Fame Rings

John McEnroe Hall of Fame Ring  
  John McEnroe received his official Hall of Fame ring during  ESPN's US Open broadcast. 


Click here for the video.    
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The Legends Ball

 
 
On the eve of US Open finals weekend, the ITHF added to the festivities with The Legends Ball, a gala event hosted in New York City in honor of the Class of 2013 and additional great contributors to the sport. Hall of Famer Chris Evert was honored with the the Eugene L. Scott Award.
Click for photos!

The 2013 Legends Ball will be held on Friday, September 6 at Cipriani 42nd Street. If you'll be in New York for the US Open, please consider joining us for this wonderful celebration of tennis.
Issue 4, February 2013
Recent Highlights from ITHF
  
Welcome from President Stan Smith
  
Dear Friends,
 
Having just returned from the Australian Open, an incredible event that truly exemplifies the international nature of our sport, I am pleased to present you with a new edition of our International Quarterly. This e-newsletter is produced especially for you and your fellow fans, players, members, and friends of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum around the world. 
  
The newsletter is sent to readers on every continent, and the support of friends like you has translated into record numbers of visitors coming to the Hall of Fame in Newport from 55 countries. We strive to continue along this growth path in 2013. 
 
Included below you'll find some recent programs and events at which we have been able to share the Hall of Fame's message of honoring the legends of our sport and preserving its history with tennis fans around the world. Some of these events have included special presentations at the Davis Cup and Fed Cup Finals, a wonderful celebration during the Legends Ball in New York, and presentations of Hall of Famer rings around the world. Most recently, we had the great opportunity to celebrate in with many Australian tennis greats in Melbourne. 
 
There is much more in the issue - including news of the first Class of 2013 Hall of Famer to be announced, another great Australian! We hope you enjoy it and we, once again, encourage you to distribute the e-newsletter among friends and family and to communicate with us by contacting our International Program Manager, Flavio Rossin at [email protected]. And, please don't forget, come visit us and enjoy a memorable experience.

This weekend, many of the world's best tennis players will give it their all in Davis Cup and Fed Cup competitions. Of course, I count Davis Cup among my most cherished tennis memories, and I wish all of the players well as they compete for their countries this weekend. 
 
Best,
    
  
Stan Smith
President 
1987 Hall of Famer
  

 

~ Hall of Fame Class of 2013! ~


During the Australian Open, we were glad to announce the first member of the Class of 2013!

 

Thelma Coyne LongAustralian tennis great Thelma Coyne Long had a remarkable career spanning more than 20 years in the 1930s and 1950s, during which time she won an incredible 19 Grand Slam titles, including championships in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.
  
From her home in the Sydney area, Thelma said she was honored to be included and she is already thinking about some of her own personal memorabilia that can be sent to the Hall of Fame for a museum display to showcase her career as an integral part of the history of tennis.  Click here  to read more! 
  
  
The additional members of the Class of 2013 will be announced on March 4 as part of
World Tennis Day!
  
In the meantime, read on to learn more about the nominees.
  
2013 Nominees
  
Recent Player Category
Martina Hingis
Former world No. 1
Martina Hingis is one of just five players to have ever held the WTA world No. 1 ranking in singles and doubles at the same time. The Swiss star won 3 consecutive Australian Open titles (1997 - 99), as well as the Wimbledon and the US Open titles in 1997, and 10 major titles in doubles and mixed doubles.

Germany's Michael Stich achieved a world No. 2 ranking and was the 1991 Wimbledon singles champion. In 1992, he partnered with John McEnroe to win the Wimbledon doubles title, and with Boris Becker to win the Olympic Gold Medal for doubles.
  
Helena Sukova, of the Czech Republic, won 14 Grand Slams titles in doubles and mixed doubles. The world No. 1 doubles player for 68 weeks, Sukova was a two-time Olympic Silver Medalist in doubles. 
Contributor Category
Three individuals who transitioned from successful playing careers to leadership roles in tennis have been nominated.
  
      Cliff Drysdale     Charlie Pasarell   Ion Tiriac    
  
Cliff Drysdale was the voice of the first ESPN broadcast of tennis. He has continued in the role for more than 30 years and is one of the sport's most respected voices. Prior to ESPN, Drysdale was a co-founder and the first president of the ATP. As a tennis player Drysdale won a US Open doubles title and he was ranked among the world top-5.

Also an ATP co-founder, Charlie Pasarell most recently held the role of Tournament Director of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, which he developed to be one of the most successful tournaments in the world. With Arthur Ashe, Pasarell was also a co-founder of the National Junior Tennis League, which introduces tennis to underprivileged children. Pasarell, was an active US Davis Cup player, and the champion at the U.S. National Indoor Championships in 1966 and 1967.

Ion Tiriac has been an influential and successful coach, manager, and tournament promoter. He has guided the careers of many great players, including Hall of Famer Boris Becker, who won five Grand Slam titles while working with Tiriac. Before moving into administration and promotion, Tiriac had a successful playing career, which included winning the 1970 French Open doubles title with Ilie Nastase. 

Read more about the nominees here!
Brazil Sets All Eyes on Center Court


Click for video of match highlights!
When you bring in the world No. 1 tennis player to compete against one of the nation's most adored sports stars, you can expect all eyes to be on Center Court, and that is just what happened when Novak Djokovic traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for an exhibition match versus 2012 Hall of Famer Guga Kuerten! During the energetic event, hometown favorite Kuerten kept the crowd on the edge of their seats, and he ultimately went on to defeat Djokovic, 7-6, 7-5. Check out the video above to see some highlights of the match, including a fun appearance by Kuerten's "twin."

Djokovic and Kuerten also showed their support for youth tennis in Brazil by participating in the official opening of a new tennis facility in Rio de Janeiro. Their presence attracted great attention for the initiative to get kids involved in tennis, and the facility will provide wonderful opportunities for kids in one of the poorest areas of the city.
Hall of Fame Tennis Championships 
Welcomes 5 Global Companies as Premier Sponsors for 2013



Hall of Fame President Stan Smith participated in the press conference to welcome the new sponsors.
Check out the video above!

Thank You Sponsors!
    
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!  

Pat Rafter
Pat Rafter took some time to talk with Tennis Channel about his Hall of Fame ring and the rich history of Australian tennis.
From Margaret Smith Court's extraordinary 62 Grand Slam titles to John Newcombe and Tony Roche's incredible run as a doubles team to the incomparable Rod Laver, Australia has undoubtedly produced some of the greatest tennis players in the history of the sport. In recognition of their great achievements, 28 Australian tennis greats have been presented the highest honor in the sport of tennis- induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In a special luncheon and ceremony  at the Australian Open, this important achievement was celebrated once again with the presentation of official Hall of Fame rings to many of Australia's great tennis legends.  Click here to read more!
  

 
Australian tennis legends with Hall of Fame rings.  

Frank Sedgman, John Newcombe, Rod Laver, Margaret Smith Court, Ashley Cooper, Pat Rafter, Ken Rosewall, Tony Roche, Lesley Turner Bowrey, Brian Tobin, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Neale Fraser. Photo by Fiona Hamilton.


Celebrating the Great Contributors to The Sport

Fed Cup & Davis Cup Awards of Excellence 
In a joint program between ITHF and the ITF, the Fed Cup and Davis Cup Awards of Excellence are presented annually to a person who embodies the ideals and spirit of the competitions. In a fitting tribute to the Czech teams who won both titles this year, both awards went to players who were instrumental in the nation's past success.

Fed Cup and Davis Cup Awards of Excellence

Hall of Famer Jana Novotna was honored with the Fed Cup Award of Excellence. A member of the 1988 championship Czechoslovakian team, she helped lead the team to three other semifinal finishes and compiled a record of 22 - 7 in singles and 11 - 5 doubles. Click here to read more!
  
The Davis Cup Award of Excellence was presented to Hall of Famer Ivan Lendl, who was an integral member of the Czech Davis Cup team for eight years, before becoming a U.S. citizen. In 1980, he led the team to win the Davis Cup title, and he also helped the team to advance to the semifinals in 1984 and 1985. Lendl compiled a record 22 - 15 overall. Click here to read more!


Golden Achievement Award   
Presented annually by ITHF and ITF to an individual who has made important contributions to tennis in administration, promotion, or education.

In recognition of his immense contributions to tennis in Australia and around the world, Geoff Pollard AM, the past-president and chairman of Tennis Australia and a current vice president of the ITF, has been honored with the Golden Achievement Award. During Pollard's 21-year tenure with Tennis Australia, he lead the organization through immense growth, which included moving the Australian Open to its present state-of-the-art facility and improving the event all-around for fans, players, and media. Pollard received the award on the final weekend of the Australian Open, in front of a group of colleagues and friends at the Australian Open Legends' Lunch hosted in honor of Roy Emerson. The award was presented by ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti and Hall of Fame President Emerita Jane Brown Grimes.  Click here to read more about Pollard's career and contributions to the sport.   

About the International Tennis Hall of Fame:

  The Ultimate Tennis Destination

  

From the extensive tennis museum and beautiful historic grass courts that you can play on, to the exciting pro tennis tournament with seats right by the action and the remarkable Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony, the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum is the ultimate destination for tennis fans! Click a flag below to see a video about the Hall of Fame in the languages noted. To our friends in the tennis industry: Printed materials and info about the Hall of Fame is available in multiple languages. Feel free to spread the word! 

 

Spanish   English   Portuguese   Chinese

Click here for other languages.