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American triumphs feature in Hall of Fame's Iconic Moments in Tennis History vote

April 14, 2022


The International Tennis Hall of Fame is giving tennis fans around the world the opportunity to revisit, debate and weigh in on some of the sport’s most impactful moments during the Iconic Moments in Tennis History vote.

 

Several American players and moments made the cut, led by five entries in the Best Comeback Within A Match category. Those nominations span from Jimmy Connors' 1985 Wimbledon fourth round comeback to Jennifer Capriati's effort in the 2022 Australian Open final.

 

Also on the short list for Most Epic Rivalry are those between Pete Sampas and Andre Agassi, and Serena and Venus Williams.

With voting open from April 15-30, fans can make selections in those and three other categories: Best Cinderella Story, Most Iconic Celebration, and Best Moment of National Pride. The categories and corresponding nominees were decided upon by a panelists of tennis experts, journalists and historians, including Hall of Famer Steve Flink, ITHF Historian-at-Large Joel Drucker and ITHF Emerging Leaders Council representative Nina Pantic.

Spanning seven decades of tennis history, the wide-reaching categories feature lasting memories, such as Billie Jean King’s racquet toss celebration after her victory over Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes, and legendary title runs, like Serena Williams' maiden Grand Slam triumph as a 17-year-old at the 1999 US Open. Althea Gibson's 1957 Wimbledon championship was nominated for Best Moment of National Pride.

 

Winning nominees from the Iconic Moments in Tennis History vote will be recognized with a unique exhibit for visitors to experience in person at the ITHF Museum and online at the ITHF's official website.

 

As part of the campaign, voters in the United States will have the opportunity to enter to win a trip for two to the ITHF’s Enshrinement Weekend, to be held July 15-17 in Newport, R.I. The winners will join the celebrations for inductee Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, with exclusive access to in-person events over three days. Hewitt, a Wimbledon champion, US Open champion, and the youngest man to ever achieve the world No.1 ranking, will receive tennis’ ultimate honor, induction into the ITHF, on Saturday, July 16.

Fans can view the nominees, vote and opt-in for the sweepstakes at tennisfame.com/vote, and are encouraged to cast ballots on Twitter by engaging with the ITHF at @tennishallofame.

 

See the full list of categories and nominees below.

2022 Iconic Moments in Tennis History Fan Vote
Categories & Nominees

 

Most Epic Rivalry
Jimmy Connors vs. John McEnroe vs. Bjorn Borg
Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic
Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova
Monica Seles vs. Steffi Graf
Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi
Billie Jean King vs. Margaret Court
Rod Laver vs. Ken Rosewall
Venus Williams vs. Serena Williams

 

Best Cinderella Story
Goran Ivanisevic, 2001 Wimbledon
Emma Raducanu, 2021 US Open
Kim Clijsters, 2009 US Open
Mats Wilander, 1982 Roland-Garros
Guga Kuerten, 1997 Roland-Garros
Pete Sampras, 1990 US Open
Serena Williams, 1999 US Open
Michael Chang, 1989 Roland-Garros

 

Best Comeback Within a Match
Rafael Nadal d. Daniil Medvedev, 2022 Australian Open Final
Jennifer Capriati d. Martina Hingis, 2002 Australian Open Final
Mary Joe Fernandez d. Gabriela Sabatini, 1993 Roland-Garros Quarterfinal
Manuel Orantes d. Guillermo Vilas, 1975 US Open Semifinal
Chanda Rubin d. Jana Novotna, 1995 Roland-Garros Third Round
Jimmy Connors d. Mikael Pernfors, 1987 Wimbledon Fourth Round
Pancho Gonzales d. Charlie Pasarell, 1969 Wimbledon First Round
Pete Sampras d. Jim Courier, 1995 Australian Open Quarterfinals

 

Most Iconic Celebration
Pat Cash’s Champion’s Climb, 1987 Wimbledon
Kim Clijsters and daughter Jada on court, 2009 US Open
Guga Kuerten drawing a heart in clay, 2001 Roland-Garros
Jimmy Connors’ fist pump vs. Aaron Krickstein, 1991 US Open
Jim Courier diving into the Yarra River, 1992 & 1993 Australian Open
Petr Korda and Korda Family’s scissor kick
Serbian Davis Cup team shaving heads following 2010 championship
Billie Jean King’s racquet toss following Battle of the Sexes

 

Best Moment of National Pride
Ashleigh Barty, 2022 Australian Open
Goran Ivanisevic, 2001 Wimbledon
Althea Gibson, 1957 Wimbledon
Andy Murray, 2013 Wimbledon
Virginia Wade, 1977 Wimbledon
Li Na, 2011 Roland-Garros
Maria Bueno, 1959 Wimbledon
David Hall, 2000 Sydney Paralympics

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