Goran Ivanišević Named as International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019 Candidate

Goran Ivanišević

Legendary Croatian tennis star Goran Ivanišević has been named as an International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019 candidate. 

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

Eight players hailing from seven different nations have been named as candidates on the ballot for the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019, including Jonas Bjorkman, Sergi Bruguera, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Thomas Muster, Li Na and Mary Pierce.

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

The International Tennis Hall of Fame, which is based in Newport, Rhode Island, will post the online ballot for fans to vote on 27 August. The top three vote-getters will each get a boost to the percentage of support they receive from the main selection panel of members of the Hall of Fame, journalists and tennis historians.

Goran Ivanisevic

Candidates need a total of 75 percent of the vote to be elected. The fan vote portion of the voting will close on 7 October. 

“Croatia’s Goran Ivanišević’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. Details how to vote here.