Lisa Raymond, Original 9 Included on Hall of Fame Ballot for 2021

American doubles great Lisa Raymond and the trailblazing Original 9 are among the seven nominees for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. next year, it was announced on Monday. 

The 11-time Grand Slam doubles champion was revealed as one of five in the Player Category, while the Original 9 became the first group to be given the nod in the Contributor Category, which has historically been reserved for individuals. 

Raymond (above, left), also a decorated singles player in addition to her doubles prowess, won six majors in women’s doubles, where she has a career Grand Slam, and five in mixed doubles. She won the women's doubles title in New York in 2001, 2005 and 2011, partnering Rennae Stubbs, Samantha Stosur and Liezel Huber, respectively, and partnered current USTA chairman of the board and president Patrick Galbraith and the legendary Mike Bryan to win her mixed doubles crowns in 1996 and 2002.

Over nearly 20 years as a WTA pro, which ended with her retirement in 2015, Raymond won 79 career WTA doubles titles, sixth-most in history, and racked up 137 weeks as world No. 1 in doubles, ranking her fourth all-time.

Raymond reached a singles career-high of world No. 15 in October of 1997, won four WTA singles titles and reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2000 and the Australian Open in 2004. Selected to Team USA for the Billie Jean King Cup - then called the Fed Cup - in eight different years, Raymond was a member of team that won the title in 2000. 

In the Contributor Category, the Original 9 are joined by famed coach Dennis Van der Meer, who coached Billie Jean King, Margaret Court and Amanda Coetzer, among others, and passed away last year.

Click here to read more about the 2021 International Tennis Hall of Fame ballot.