Even when it comes to tradition, innovation is apparently not a foreign word. The International Tennis Hall of Fame has now announced that fans will for the first time have a say in the selection of their “newcomers” in 2019.
Michael Stich will never forget these moments. About a month ago, the former Wimbledon winner stood deeply moved at the Plexiglas console in Newport in the US state of Rhode Island and described in an impressive way why his sport means so much to him.
The admission to the tennis hall of fame is still something very special even for the ex-professionals who have been washed with a lot of water. From a German perspective, Stich was number six in the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF). Before him this honour had been bestowed upon Boris Becker, Steffi Graf, Gottfried von Cramm, Hilde Sperling and Hans Nüsslein.
In the future, however, not only tennis historians and journalists will decide who will be accepted into the illustrious circle at the holy site. The ITHF announced on Monday that for the first time in the 64-year history of the Hall of Fame, fans will also have a say.
On Wednesday (22 August) the eight candidates will be announced who are eligible for admission to the Player category in 2019. Then it’s the fans’ turn…!!!! “It is fantastic that they will be involved in the voting process,” said Kim Clijsters, ITHF’s global ambassador.
Since 2017, the four-time Grand Slam winner from Belgium has been a “Hall-of-Famerin”. From August 27, fans can vote at vote.tennisfame.com.