August 22, 2019 – For the second year in a row, Croatian tennis legend Goran Ivanišević has been nominated to join the International Tennis Hall of Fame, reports HRT and the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
In the class of 2020, his contenders will be Spaniard Sergi Bruguera, Swede Jonas Bjorkman, and the only Spanish candidate, Conchita Martinez, the institution’s headquarters announced on Wednesday.
“Throughout their careers, Conchita Martinez, Sergi Bruguera, Jonas Bjorkman, and Goran Ivanišević have systematically demonstrated their commitment to excellence. As a result, they have achieved the highest level, winning Grand Slam titles, Olympic medals, triumphs in the Davis and Fed Cups and winning top positions on the ATP and WTA lists. They have represented their countries and their sport very well, and it is my pleasure to announce their nomination for the highest honor – induction to the International Tennis Hall of Fame,” said President of the institution, Stan Smith.
All candidates are nominated for the second time, and this is the penultimate of the three opportunities to be listed among the immortals of tennis and greats that made the sport globally one of the most popular today.
The charismatic Split native and the 2001 Wimbledon winner also won two 1992 Olympic bronze medals in Barcelona. During his career, Goran Ivanišević managed to reach 2nd place in the individual ATP rankings, and in 2020, he will have a slightly easier competition than this year’s elections, when China’s Na Li, France’s Mary Pierce and Russia’s Yevgeny Kafelnikov were listed in the Hall of Fame.
Sergi Bruguera is a two-time Roland Garros winner (1993 and 1994) and silver medalist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, with a career-best third place in the ATP ranking.
Jonas Bjorkman has a complete collection of Grand Slam titles in men’s doubles, while in the singles he was a semifinalist at the US Open and Wimbledon. In doubles, he reached the top of the ATP ladder, and in the individual competition, he made it to No. 4.
The only female candidate, Conchita Martinez, the 1994 Wimbledon winner, won a total of 33 singles and 13 doubles trophies. She has been a five-time member of the Spanish national team that won the Fed Cup and has three Olympic medals in the women’s doubles competition. She was also a finalist in the singles competition at the Australian Open and Roland Garros.
Now that the ballot has been set for the Class of 2020, it will go before the ITHF Player Voting Group, which is comprised of tennis media, historians, and Hall of Famers. Additionally, tennis fans across the globe are encouraged to voice their opinions about who is deserving of Hall of Fame induction by taking part in the Fan Vote. Fan Voting will open on Monday, August 26 at vote.tennisfame.com, and run through September 29.
The top three vote-getters in the Fan Vote will earn bonus percentage points added to their result from the ITHF Player Voting Group. First place will receive 3 bonus percentage points, second place will receive 2, and third place will receive a bonus of 1 percentage point. To be elected into the Hall of Fame, a candidate must receive an affirmative vote of 75% or more from the Player Voting Group result or a combined total of 75% or more from the Player Voting Group result and any bonus percentage points they earn through the Fan Vote.
Goran Ivanišević was second last year, behind Li Na, but did not garner enough electorate votes.
The results of Fan Voting will be announced at the conclusion of the voting period in late September. The overall results and the complete Induction Class of 2020 will be announced in January. The 2020 Induction Ceremony will be hosted on July 18, 2020, in Newport, RI.
Located in Newport, Rhode Island, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization committed to preserving and promoting the history of tennis and celebrating its greatest champions. Since its inception in 1954, the honor of Hall of Fame Induction has been granted to 257 great champions and contributors to the sport from 24 different nations.
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