Lleyton Hewitt to be inducted into International Tennis Hall Of Fame
Former world No.1 Lleyton Hewitt is the latest player who will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Hewitt, who amassed 30 tour-level singles titles during his 18-year career on the ATP Tour, included the Wimbledon title in 2001 and the US Open title a year later.
After that, the tennis world was taken over by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, with Hewitt the last great champion before the current golden era of tennis go underway.
“I am hugely honoured to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame,” said Hewitt. “When you are competing, you’re so focused on training and your results that week or that year, you don’t really look ahead to something like this.
“But when that is all compiled up and deemed deserving of becoming a Hall of Famer, well, it’s just the ultimate recognition for a player, and I’m so honoured.”
In an exclusive interview with Tennis365.com last year, Tennis Hall of Fame chief executive Todd Martin told us that Federer, Nadal and Djokovic will be inducted into his organisation when the time is right, along with Britain’s Andy Murray.
“There are a lot of areas Andy has overachieved with,” Martin told Tennis365 in an exclusive interview. “I think he’s at a different level to Roger, Rafa and Novak, but one thing is for certain that his heart and his mind are always in the game.
“The thing I recognised early on with Andy, and I would say this across the board for the modern player, is I haven’t seen a player who feels the game better than he does.
“Even from an early stage in his career his ability to junk slice the ball around, not having a great forehand, looping the ball quite a lot, he doesn’t server as well as he could, but he has a tremendous sense of how to play the game.
“I think there are four male players right now who will make very compelling cases to be in the Hall of Fame. Andy is really going to enjoy coming to Newport Rhode Island in the future.”
Follow us on Twitter @T365Official and like our Facebook page.
Latest
-
Tennis News
Daniil Medvedev highlights Carlos Alcaraz’s ‘advantage’ – ‘I felt a little bit out of solutions’
“It’s tough. Mentally it’s not easy to play against this,” admits Daniil Medvedev.
-
Tennis News
Martina Navratilova dismisses Emma Raducanu ‘fluke’ claims as she highlights a ‘handicap’
“It was amazing when she won but it’s become a handicap because the expectations have gone sky-high.”
-
ATP Tour
WATCH: Tennis star collapses during Miami Open qualifier as opponent admits ‘I didn’t see him fall’
Arthur Cazaux left the court in a wheelchair.
-
Tennis News
Tennis great Martina Navratilova sympathises with frustrated Andy Murray – ‘It’s exhausting’
“It’s exhausting to have to deal with the press like that for Andy,” says Martina Navratilova.
-
Tennis News
Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov dies as club confirms tragic news
Our thoughts go out to Aryna Sabalenka.
-
WTA Tour
Emma Raducanu suffers huge injury setback on the eve of Miami Open
Raducanu forced to make a tough decision ahead of WTA 1000 tournament in Miami.
-
Tennis News
Carlos Alcaraz hailed for ‘chasing Rafael Nadal’ by pundits as injury concern highlighted
“It adds to the quality of Alcaraz that he can play at this level at the age of 20.”
-
Tennis News
Miami Open draw: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner learn their fate as Andy Murray gets enticing opener
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev and co. have learned their draws for 2024 Miami Open.
-
Tennis News
Tim Henman gives his verdict on Novak Djokovic’s ‘revealing’ Miami Open withdrawal
“It probably does lead a little bit more to speculation when you’re talking about your professional and personal life.”
-
Tennis News
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi by legendary coach
“Rafa can do the same thing that Federer does, while Cristiano cannot do what Messi does.”