NEW YORK, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Four tennis legends have been named as candidates on the ballot for the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF)'s Class of 2020, said an ITHF press release on Wednesday.
The candidates are 2001 Wimbledon champion and former world No.2 Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia; 1994 Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez of Spain, who was also a three-time Olympic medalist and member of five championship Fed Cup teams; back-to-back Roland Garros champion Sergi Bruguera of Spain; and Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman, winner of nine major doubles titles and a former doubles world No.1.
"Throughout their careers, Conchita Martinez, Sergi Bruguera, Jonas Bjorkman and Goran Ivanisevic each consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence," said Hall of Fame President Stan Smith. "As a result, they achieved success at tennis' highest levels as Grand Slam champions, top-ranked ATP and WTA competitors, Olympic medalists, and Davis and Fed Cup champions. They've represented their nations and the sport very well, and it is a pleasure to announce their nominations to receive tennis' ultimate honor: induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame."
Now that the ballot has been set for the Class of 2020, it will go before the ITHF Player Voting Group, comprised of tennis media, historians, and existing Hall of Famers.
Additionally, tennis fans across the globe are encouraged to voice their opinions by taking part in an online fan vote, which opens on August 26 and runs through September 29. The top three players in the fan vote will earn bonus percentage points added to their result from the ITHF Player Voting Group.
To be elected into the Hall of Fame, a candidate must receive an affirmative vote of 75 percent or more from the Player Voting Group result, or a combined total of 75 percent or more from the Player Voting Group result and any bonus percentage points they earn through the fan vote.
"Tennis fans around the globe responded to last year's invitation to be part of the International Tennis Hall of Fame enshrinement process, with votes coming in from 148 countries and regions," said International Tennis Hall of Fame CEO Todd Martin.
The results of the fan voting will be announced at the conclusion of the voting period in late September. The overall results and the complete Induction Class of 2020 will be announced in January. The 2020 Induction Ceremony will be hosted on July 18, 2020 in Newport, RI, in the United States.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization committed to preserving and promoting the history of tennis and celebrating its greatest champions. Since its inception in 1954, the honor of Hall of Fame Induction has been granted to 257 legendary players from 24 different nations.
On July 20, 2019, China's tennis great Li Na, French star Mary Pierce and Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov were inducted into the ITHF.
