Tennis Channel to Televise Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday

By Witherspoon
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Updated: July 15, 2021

Goran Ivanisevic and Conchita Martinez will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday. Photo credit: Sergio Tacchini

Tennis Channel televise the International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Newport live this Saturday, July 17th, at 6 p.m. Eastern time.

This year’s celebration honors the classes of both 2020 and 2021, due to the cancellation of last year’s enshrinement during the worldwide pandemic. At the conclusion of the ceremony, fans will be able to relive the prestigious moments on-demand via streaming service Tennis Channel Plus.

Two Wimbledon singles champions – Goran Ivanisevic (2001) and Conchita Martinez (1994) – represent the Hall of Fame’s class of 2020.

Ivanisevic is the only man to win a Wimbledon singles title as a wild card. He also won singles and doubles bronze medals at the 1992 Summer Olympics, reached the World No. 2 singles ranking in 1994 and has coached both Marin Cilic and Novak Djokovic to Grand Slam championships.

Martinez also reached World No. 2 in the singles rankings and was a finalist at the Australian Open and French Open. She additionally helped Spain capture five Fed Cup championships. Martinez captained Spain’s Fed Cup team and coached Garbine Muguruza to the Wimbledon title.

Class of 2021

Tennis’ “Original 9,” the nine women who with their leader Gladys Heldman formed the foundation for the current WTA Tour in 1970, are members of the Hall of Fame’s class of 2021. Peaches Bartkowicz, Rosie Casals, Julie Heldman, Billie Jean King, Kerry Melville Reid, Kristy Pigeon, Nancy Richey, Judy Tegart Dalton and Valerie Ziengenfuss each signed iconic $1 contracts and risked their rankings and the ability to compete in major events in an effort to bridge prize-money disparity between men’s and women’s tennis and build greater opportunities for female athletes down the road.

Also in the class of 2021, Dennis Van der Meer was a revolutionary coach who standardized teaching methods and created the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) to certify tennis coaches. He was famously Billie Jean King’s coach in her landmark “Battle of the Sexes” match with Bobby Riggs. Van der Meer died in 2019.

Editors Note: We are so thrilled that Gladys Heldman finally gets honored for her establishing the Ladies tennis tour • The WTA. Or are they NOT honoring Gladys ? (LJ)