Six former world No. 1 champions are on the ballot for the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
The Class of 2022 nominees are:
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Serbian Ana Ivanović, 2008 French Open Champion and a former world No. 1
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Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, 2015 US Open singles champion and former doubles world No. 1
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Cara Black of Zimbabwe, a former doubles world No. 1 and the winner of 10 major titles in doubles and mixed doubles
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Lisa Raymond of the United States, a former doubles world No. 1 and winner of 11 Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed doubles
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Carlos Moyá, of Spain, the winner of the 1998 French Open and a former world No. 1
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Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 2003 French Open Champion and a former world No. 1
“The six nominees named to the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s 2022 ballot have all achieved remarkable results on tennis’ biggest stages – Grand Slam titles, topping the world rankings, Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup victories. Their successes are highlights of tennis history, and it’s a pleasure to recognize their accomplishments with the honor of International Tennis Hall of Fame nomination,” said ITHF President Stan Smith.
Ivanović, Black, Pennetta, and Moyá are all new nominees to the ballot, while Ferrero and Raymond are returning nominees in their second year on the ballot.
It's a celebratory season for Pennetta, who is pregnant with her third child with husband Fabio Fognini.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame policy states that a nominee remains on the ballot for up to three consecutive years, unless voted in. The six nominees are all eligible in the Hall of Fame’s Player Category for the Class of 2022. This is not an eligibility year for the Hall of Fame’s Contributor or Wheelchair Categories, which are considered every four years.
Now that the ballot is set, the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Fan Voting will open on Friday, October 15th on vote.tennisfame.com, providing the opportunity for tennis fans around the world to voice their support for who they think should become Hall of Famers.
Additionally, voting by the Official Voting Group of journalists, historians, and existing Hall of Famers will take place in the coming months. Election into the Hall of Fame is determined by the combination of results from Fan Voting and the Official Voting Group and is further detailed below.
“Tennis fans are discerning, knowledgeable, and passionate. Their input into who becomes a Hall of Famer is integral to the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s induction procedure," said Todd Martin, Hall of Fame CEO. "We are glad to provide Fan Voting as an opportunity for fans to have a say. Additionally, the geographic diversity of the candidates on this year’s ballot clearly showcases the global popularity of our sport.
"It is not realistic to think that tennis fans all over the world will be able to come to Newport to celebrate the greats in person, but through Fan Voting, fans can still participate and advocate for those they deem deserving of tennis’ ultimate honor.”
The International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Fan Vote will run October 15 – 31st.
The top-three vote getters in the Fan Vote will receive bonus percentage points on their Official Voting Group result. The Official Voting Group is comprised of expert tennis journalists, historians, and Hall of Famers.
The candidate with the highest result in the Fan Vote will receive three additional percentage points added onto their result from the Official Voting Group, while second and third place will receive two and one additional percentage points, respectively.
To be elected into the Hall of Fame, a candidate must receive an affirmative vote of 75% or higher from the combined total of their Official Voting Group result and any bonus percentage points earned in the Fan Vote.
The results of the ITHF Fan Vote will be announced at the conclusion of the voting period. The Official Voting Group vote will be tabulated in the coming months, and the Class of 2022 Inductees will be announced in early 2022 with the Induction Ceremony slated to take place July 16, 2022.
Photo credit: Christopher Levy