 | | Class of 2014 Nominees Announced! |
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International Quarterly Highlights
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Dear Friends,
Welcome back to The International Quarterly (IQ), the sixth edition of our international newsletter that delivers information about the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum to our friends worldwide. Since our last issue we have celebrated tennis around the world, in fantastic venues such as Wimbledon and Roland Garros. The US Open was another special event where Hall of Famers from across the globe were present to watch the last major of the year and were honored at The Legends Ball presented by BNP Paribas in New York City.
In July, the Rolex Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend saw the enshrinement of eleven members to the Hall of Fame Class of 2013, with twelve fellow Hall of Famers present to celebrate the presentation of the highest honor in the sport of tennis. This month we were pleased to announce the nominees for the ballot for the Class of 2014 - be sure to read below about the incredible nominees, from 5 different countries!
Another highlight of the summer in Newport was the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, where we enjoyed an amazing final with an outstanding match between the 2012 runner up Aussie Lleyton Hewitt and Frenchman Nicolas Mahut. Mahut double triumphed: winning both singles and doubles on the historic grass courts and playing 4 matches in less than 24 hours, truly an amazing accomplishment.
The Hall of Fame also had the pleasure of welcoming my dear friend Rod "the Rocket" Laver to Newport, and presenting him with a special tribute exhibit in the museum, which recognized his legendary tennis career. Billie Jean King also visited us for a special event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Battle of the Sexes. With some of the greatest tennis players of all time in Newport, the Rolex Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend was a tremendous success.
This has been one of the most exciting summers at the ITHF with so much more to come in the year ahead, including important international projects, such as the museum exhibit in Barcelona, which will be open from January through March 2014 at the Olympic Museum. Also, the International Tennis Hall of Fame will continue to offer our Kids Free program in the museum. In addition, we have recently announced a Capital Campaign, which will look to improve the facilities for generations to come.
Our family is growing with important members and followers like you. Thank you for your support and enthusiasm for our work!
Best,
 Stan Smith
President
1987 Hall of Famer
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40 Years Later: The Battle of the Sexes
Do you remember where you were when you heard Billie Jean King had defeated Bobby Riggs in the historic Battle of the Sexes? Can you believe it was 40 years ago this month? It was September 20, 1973 that King defeated Riggs in straight sets 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in a packed Houston Astrodome. With the call of "Game, Set, Match, Billie Jean King!" history was made, doors were opened for women in sports, and it became clear that the match was a pivotal moment in earning respect and awareness for gender equality in the United States.
At the US Open, we had the privilege of displaying a museum exhibition commemorating the historic match, complete with dynamic imagery and match memorabilia. We were delighted to welcome Billie Jean to explore the exhibit and reflect on the history-changing event.
In July, we were honored to welcome Billie Jean to Newport for a special screening of a documentary about the historic match and to share her personal reflections. Hall of Fame Chairman Christopher Clouser moderated the event, which featured Billie Jean and fellow Hall of Famers Rosie Casals and Martina Hingis discussing the match and its highlights.
Click here to read highlights and watch a video from this exclusive dialogue with Billie Jean!
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Billie Jean King at the US Open exhibit
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"Battle of the Sexes" documentary
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Martina Hingis, Billie Jean King, and Rosie Casals at the Casino Theatre in Newport, RI.
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International Tennis Hall of Fame
Chat with Champions on Tennis Channel
During the US Open, the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Tennis Channel launched a special series of interviews called "Chat with Champions," which featured eight Hall of Famers from five different countries who spoke about their tennis careers, what they are up to now, and how global the sport has become. The segments were broadcast live from the Tennis Channel set at the US Open and are now available on tennischannel.com.
Click here to watch the interviews with the Hall of Famers from: Australia: Rod Laver, Brazil: Maria Esther Bueno, England: Virginia Wade, Sweden: Mats Wilander and United States: Michael Chang, Charlie Pasarell, Monica Seles, and Stan Smith.
Mats Wilander, Charlie Pasarell, Michael Chang, and Stan Smith at Chat with Champions.
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French tennis great Yannick Noah, American star Chris Evert and legendary journalist Bud Collins presented Hall of Fame rings
Few people are as synonymous with the sport of tennis as the legendary journalist and expert historian Bud Collins. For more than 50 years, Collins has artfully delivered the greatest stories of the sport to tennis fans around the world through eloquent and insightful newspaper coverage and dynamic, engaging television broadcasts. His knowledge of tennis is second to none, and his energetic delivery has undoubtedly kept fans engaged and has attracted new fans to the game over the years. In recognition of his immense contributions to the sport, Collins was honored with the highest honor in tennis in 1994, induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. During Wimbledon, this achievement was celebrated once again, when Collins was presented his official Hall of Fame ring. Collins received his ring on the air during Tennis Channel's Wimbledon Primetime coverage, where he was joined by friends and peers including Hall of Famers Martina Navratilova and Tracy Austin, whose careers Collins covered from start to finish, as well as fellow Tennis Channel journalists. Click here to read more.
 | | Yannick Noah received his Hall of Fame ring at the French Open |
Thirty years after his incredible run to capture the Roland Garros title, France's adored Yannick Noah was celebrated once more, when he received his official Hall of Fame ring in a private presentation at the French Open. One of France's most revered public figures and successful tennis players, Noah won the Roland Garros title in 1983 and he achieved a ranking of world No. 3. In recognition of his tremendous success, Noah was honored with enshrinement in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005 and received this one-of-a-kind Hall of Fame ring a symbol for his place among the greatest legends of the sport. Click here to read more.
 | | Chris Evert presented Hall of Fame Ring |
Former world No. 1 Chris Evert has captured the most coveted trophies in tennis, and at the French Open she was presented with another exclusive item in honor of her success on court- a one-of-a-kind gold ring signifying her place as a Hall of Famer. In recognition of her great success and contributions to the sport, Evert was enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1995. This important achievement was celebrated once again, when Evert was presented her official Hall of Fame ring, in a special ceremony on ESPN2 during the network's Roland Garros coverage. Click here to read more.
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Recent Player Category
Lindsay Davenport, 37, of Laguna Beach, Calif., held the world No. 1 ranking for 98 weeks. She is one of four women to have held the year-end No. 1 at least four times (1998, 2001, 2004, and 2005), since 1975. She was also the No. 1 ranked doubles player, and is one of just six players to have held both top spots simultaneously.
 Mary Pierce, 38, of France, won four Grand Slam tournament titles over the span of her career and achieved a career high ranking of world No. 3 in singles and doubles. She captured her first major title at the 1995 Australian Open, where she defeated Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario. In 2000, Pierce won both the singles and doubles titles at Roland Garros. Conchita Martinez, 41, of Monzon, Spain, defeated Wimbledon great  Martina Navratilova in the 1994 singles final to become the only Spanish woman to ever win the title. She was also the runner up at both the 1998 Australian Open and the 2000 French Open. Over the course of her career, Martinez won 33 singles titles and 13 doubles titles.
Chantal Vandierendonck, 48, of The Netherlands, was one of the early stars of Wheelchair Tennis. She was the ITF World Champion three times, she won 5 Paralympic medals, and she was the world No. 1 player for a total of 136 weeks in singles, and was also ranked world No. 1 in doubles. What makes her success even more impressive is that Vandierendonck is considered a high para player, which means she has significant disability, making the sport even more challenging.
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Contributor Category
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Nick Bollettieri
USA
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Jane Brown Grimes
USA
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John Barrett
England
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Hall of Famer Rafael Osuna is honored during the
50th anniversary of his U.S. Nationals title
On June 4, 1969 an airplane accident in Monterey, Mexico cut short the life and career of Mexico's greatest tennis player, Rafael Osuna. Just days prior to the crash, Osuna led Mexico's Davis Cup team to a remarkable victory over Australia, defeating some of the best players in the world. This year marked the 50th anniversary of Osuna's U.S. Nationals victory and he is forever celebrated as the first Latin American man to win a Grand Slam.
Known to many as "Rafe," Osuna began as a top table tennis player before becoming the No.1 tennis player in the world. Osuna was recognized for his sportsmanship, euphoria and optimism on and off the court, where it was said he had 5,000 friends and not a single enemy.
On September 8, 1963, the 24-year-old Mexican player, triumphed at the U.S. Nationals, defeating American Frank Froehling, in straight sets, winning his first men's singles grand slam title.
Click here to learn more about Rafael Osuna history and achievements.
 | | Rafael Osuna |
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The "Rocket" Rod Laver at the
International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum
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Rod Laver and Bud Collins in an autograph session at the Hall of Fame
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Rod Laver was a special guest at this summer's Rolex Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend during the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, held in Newport, RI. Laver participated in the Class of 2013 Enshrinement Ceremony, paying tribute to Australian tennis great Thelma Coyne Long, who was enshrined in the Master Player category. A dominant Australian player of the 1930s-1950s, Long won an impressive 19 major titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Long, who is 94 years old and living in the Sydney area, was currently unable to travel to Newport, but sent along her appreciation for the honor.
"I am honored and pleased to return to the International Tennis Hall of Fame and to participate in the ceremony which bestows the highest honor in the game of tennis. Like so many of my peers and tennis fans around the world, I appreciate all that the Hall of Fame does to celebrate the history of tennis all around the world, and it's a real joy for me to be able to participate in that mission," commented Laver.
"Even among the greatest legends of tennis, Rod Laver stands out in an elite category of the best of the best, and for being a true gentleman," said Hall of Fame Chairman Christopher E. Clouser.
Rod Laver, the only player in history to have ever achieved two Grand Slams and undoubtedly one of the greatest legends of tennis, was also one of our guests of honor at The Legends Ball presented by BNP Paribas, the Hall of Fame's annual gala hosted on September 6 in New York City during the US Open. At the event, Laver received the Eugene L. Scott Award, given annually in memory of the late Hall of Famer and Tennis Week founder to an individual who has shown a commitment to tennis and has made a positive impact on the sport. Click here for a highlight video from the event.
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Hall of Fame Tennis Championships 2013
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Lleyton Hewitt serving to Nicolas Mahut at the final.
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2013 Champion
Nicolas Mahut
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Nicolas Mahut of France, well known for his ability to endure long matches, won four matches in 24 hours to win both the singles and doubles titles at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in July. Congratulations to our 2013 Champion, Nico!
"First to win the singles is a big accomplishment," said Mahut at the time. "To win both in the same week, singles and doubles, it's amazing. When I look back a month ago, I was ranked 240, then I played the French Open final in doubles, won two titles, won another one in doubles, it's just a great achievement. I just don't think I even realize it all yet." Click here to read more.
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Welcoming Tennis Fans from Around the World!
 | | Iñigo Sevilla and Elena Muguerza from Bilbao, Spain |
The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum continues to welcome tennis enthusiasts from around the world and this year's international visitation has increased more than 40%, a record high when compared with the same period of 2012. Our visitors come from over 50 countries, including Australia, Canada, Chile, China, and Spain, and are able to access the museum's audio tours in 10 different languages. This has been a very popular feature in the course of the year for our guests. The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum is pleased to share testimonial from our international visitors Iñigo Sevilla and Elena Muguerza, who reside in Bilbao, Spain.
"Nos encanto la visita al "Hall of Fame," no teníamos mucho tiempo para visitarlo porque nos marchábamos de viaje y lo que inicialmente iba a ser una visita de una hora se convirtió en una visita de casi tres horas. El paseo por la historia del tenis, observando la evolución de los materiales, los clubs, y la estética de las vestimentas de la época, no pueden más que evocar la educación y elegancia en la que siempre ha vivido este deporte. Un torrente de maravillosas sensaciones que resulta imprescindible para cualquier aficionado al tenis."
"We loved our visit to the "Hall of Fame." We did not have much time to visit because we were traveling and what was initially going to be an one-hour visit turned into a nearly three-hour visit. The walk through the history of tennis, watching the evolution of materials, clubs, and aesthetics of the clothes of the time, cannot help but evoke the elegance and education that has always lived with the sport. A wonderful torrent of sensations that is essential for any tennis fan."
The ITHF thanks all our international guests for visiting our museum and grounds. We look forward to seeing you back at our historic facility and grass courts. Click here to learn and plan your next visit to the ITHF.
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International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum
Capital Campaign Underway
The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum in Newport, Rhode Island has embarked on an extensive capital campaign with the goals of creating a cohesive campus and world-class tennis facility and offering an enhanced experience for visitors and the local community, all while supporting the organization's mission of preserving the history of tennis and promoting the sport. The four primary focus areas of the campaign are to upgrade the museum with new technology and enhanced exhibitions, to add additional tennis courts and facilities, to improve campus-wide amenities including upgrades to the tennis stadium; and to strategically expand the Hall of Fame's footprint. As part of all these goals, the campaign also seeks to revitalize the street scape on nearby Memorial Boulevard, to be complementary to the beautifully restored, historic buildings of the Newport Casino, in which the Hall of Fame is located. Click here to read more.
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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 learn 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!
    
Click here for other languages.
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