Goran Ivanisevic nominated for International Tennis Hall of Fame again 

Goran Ivanisevic (Photo: Croatia Open)

21 August 2019 – Legendary Croatian tennis star Goran Ivanisevic has been named once again as an International Tennis Hall of Fame candidate. 

The big-serving Croatian, who famously won Wimbledon as a wildcard in 2001, was among the candidates for the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 announced by the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Wednesday. 

Along with Ivanisevic, back-to-back Roland Garros champion Sergi Bruguera of Spain, Swede Jonas Bjorkman, and 1994 Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez have been named to the ballot.

Induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame is the ultimate honour in tennis, representing a sum of an athlete’s achievements as being at the highest possible level in the sport.

The Class of 2020 will go before the ITHF Player Voting Group, which is comprised of tennis media, historians, and Hall of Famers. Tennis fans around the world can take part in the Fan Vote.

Fan Voting will open on Monday, 26 August at vote.tennisfame.com, and run through 29 September.

First place will receive three bonus percentage points, second place will receive two and third place will receive a bonus of one percentage point. To be elected into the Hall of Fame, a candidate must receive an affirmative vote of 75 per cent or more from the Player Voting Group result or a combined total of 75 per cent or more from the Player Voting Group result and any bonus percentage points they earn through the Fan Vote.

Pat Rafer & Goran Ivanisevic met in a repeat of the 2001 Wimbledon in Umag this summer (Photo: Croatia Open)

“Croatia’s Goran Ivanisevic’s serve-and-volley style of play led him to great success on the grass courts of Wimbledon where he was a quarterfinalist once, semifinalist twice, and finalist three times, before winning the title in 2001. That year, ranked world No. 125, the big-serving lefty was granted a wildcard into the tournament. In a magical run to the trophy, he knocked out three players who were former or future world No. 1s en route to a five-set battle with Patrick Rafter in the final. Ivanišević is a two-time Olympic medalist, having won a singles bronze and doubles bronze, both in 1992,” the International Hall of Fame writes.

The inductees will be announced in January.