9/7/2010 Andre Agassi Leads List of Nominees for International Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2011 InductionRead NowAndre Agassi, Thelma Coyne Long, Christine Truman Janes, Mike Davies and Fern Lee "Peachy" Kellmeyer have been nominated for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Voting for the 2011 ballot will take place over the next several months, culminating with an announcement in early 2011 to reveal the Class of 2011 Inductees. The Class of 2011 Induction Ceremony will be held on Saturday, July 9, 2011 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. The Ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, an ATP World Tour event. Recent Player: Andre AgassiEligibility criteria for the Recent Player Category is as follows: active as competitors in the sport within the last 20 years prior to consideration; not a significant factor on the ATP or WTA Tour within five years prior to induction; a distinguished record of competitive achievement at the highest international level, with consideration given to integrity, sportsmanship and character. Andre Agassi, 40, of Las Vegas, Nevada, held the No. 1 singles ranking for 101 weeks, and is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, as well as one of the premier athletes of his generation. Agassi achieved a career singles record of 870-274, winning 60 titles, including four at the Australian Open, two at the US Open, and one victory each at the French Open and Wimbledon. Within his 60 tournament wins, he captured 17 Masters 1000 events. In 1990, he won the season-ending ATP World Tour Championships. Agassi earned a Gold Medal at the 1996 Olympics, by taking the Singles title in Atlanta. A member of two winning American Davis Cup teams (1990, 1992), Agassi achieved a career record of 30-6 in Davis Cup play for the United States. Agassi's passionate performances, non-traditional apparel and style, and extraordinary skill made him one of the most iconic athletes in the history of the game. He is credited for reviving the popularity of the game and inspiring a generation of tennis players. Master Player Category: Thelma Coyne Long, Christine Truman Janes Eligibility criteria for the Master Player Category is as follows: Competitors in the sport who have been retired for at least 20 years prior to consideration; a distinguished record of competitive achievement at the highest international level, with consideration given to integrity, sportsmanship and character. Thelma Coyne Long, 91, of Sydney, Australia, had a remarkable career of more than 20 years (1935-1958), in which she captured a total of 19 Grand Slam tournament titles, including championships in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. In 1952, she achieved a career-best ranking of No. 7. That same year, she completed an Australian triple by sweeping the singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles at the Australian Championships. In May 1941, during World War II, Long joined the Red Cross as a transport driver and worked in Melbourne, Australia. In February 1942, she joined the Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) and rose to the rank of captain in April 1944. In recognition of her efforts throughout World War II, she was awarded both the Australian War Medal and Australian Service Medal for 1939-45. Upon her retirement, Long began coaching junior players in New South Wales. Long was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002. Christine Truman Janes, 69, of Essex, England, UK, was ranked among the world's top ten from 1957-1961 and again in 1965, attaining a career-best ranking of No. 2 in 1959. Janes made it to the semifinals or better at all four Grand Slam events. In 1959, she captured the French Championships Singles title, and in 1960, she won the Australian Championships Doubles title with 1978 Hall of Fame Inductee Maria Bueno. Janes was the British junior champion in 1956 and 1957. She made her Wimbledon debut in 1957, at age 16, and reached the semifinals, where she lost to Althea Gibson. Janes was a member of the victorious British Wightman Cup team in 1958, 1960, and 1968, and was a team member from 1957-1963, 1967-1969, and 1971. In 1958, she was heralded for a remarkable victory when she defeated reigning Wimbledon champion Althea Gibson in the Wightman Cup and helped bring the Cup back to Great Britain after 21 consecutive defeats by the United States. Additionally, she was a member of the British Fed Cup team in 1963, 1965 and 1968. In 2001, Janes was honored as a Member of the British Empire and was awarded an MBE for services to sport. Janes worked as a commentator for BBC Television and Radio for 31 years. Contributor Category: Mike Davies, Fern Lee "Peachy" Kellmeyer Eligibility criteria for the Contributor Category is as follows: Exceptional contributions that have furthered the growth, reputation and character of the sport, in categories such as administration, media, coaching and officiating. Contributor candidates do not need to be retired from their activities related to the sport to be considered. Mike Davies, 74, originally from Swansea, Wales, UK, is a tennis promoter and administrator whose immense contributions range from introducing the colored tennis ball and colored apparel to the sport to forging some of the first, highly successful television/tennis contracts, paving the way for the future of the sport. From 1968-1981, Davies served as Executive Director of World Championship Tennis, when he was at the forefront of staging tournaments and selling sponsorships and television rights, thereby creating a platform for professional tennis to expand into large stadiums and major cities. In 1981, Davies moved on to serve as the Marketing Director and then Executive Director for the Association of Tennis Professionals (later known as the ATP). Fern Lee "Peachy" Kellmeyer, 66, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has been a driving force behind the development of women's tennis for the majority of her life and, in many ways, dedicated her life to laying the foundation for generations of young women to achieve success. Kellmeyer became involved in the game as a talented junior player, went on to be a star collegiate athlete, and then launched an administrative career in tennis. She has been instrumental in the growth of the game and has played a critical role in improving rights for female athletes. Kellmeyer currently serves as Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Operations Executive Consultant. She is also a member of the ITF Fed Cup Committee and oversee the WTA's alumni program to ensure that past players and tournament directors remain engaged in the Tour that they helped build. During her career with the WTA Tour, Kellmeyer has led the Tour's operations, player and tournament relations and has been at the center of all major policy decisions. During her tenure, prize money on the WTA Tour has increased from $309,000 in 1973 to more than $85,000,000 in 2010, and the number of WTA Tour events has increased from 23 domestic tournaments to 53 events in 33 different countries. Attendance at WTA Tour events has increased dramatically with nearly 5 million in-stadium fans annually, and television exposure has increased with hundreds of millions of homes receiving more than 6,000 hours of international TV coverage on an annual basis.
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