Goran Ivanišević tops Fan Vote Results for ITHF Class of 2020
Following a five-week voting period which drew in votes from more than 120 countries, the results are in from the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s second year of the Fan Vote for Hall of Fame induction. Of the four nominated candidates, Croatian tennis legend and 2001 Wimbledon Champion Goran Ivanišević finished in first place, garnering the highest number of fan votes. 1994 Wimbledon Champion Conchita Martínez of Spain finished in second place and Sweden’s Jonas Björkman, winner of nine major doubles titles and a former doubles world No. 1, finished in third place.
This year marks the second time in the organization’s history that the Hall of Fame induction will be determined by a combination of the results of the votes from the Official Voting Group, which is comprised of journalists, historians, and Hall of Famers, as well as bonus points earned through the Fan Vote. To be elected into the International Tennis Hall of Fame a candidate must receive 75% or more affirmative votes from the combined results of the Official Voting Group and Fan Vote bonuses.
As the first-place finisher in the Fan Vote, Ivanišević will receive 3 bonus percentage points on his results from the Official Voting Group, while Martínez will receive 2 bonus percentage points and Björkman will receive 1 bonus percentage point. In addition to Ivanišević, Martínez, and Björkman, back-to-back Roland-Garros champion Sergi Bruguera is also on the ballot for Class of 2020 induction.
Once the Official Voting Group results and Fan Vote bonuses are compiled, the International Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2020 will be officially announced during the Australian Open in January.
International Tennis Hall of Fame induction is the ultimate honor in tennis. Being inducted into the Hall of Fame recognizes an athlete’s achievements as being among the all-time best in the history of the sport. To date, the honor has been presented to just 257 tennis greats from 26 nations around the world, including legends like Andre Agassi, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Kim Clijsters, and Martina Hingis, among others.
“In today’s digital world, sports fans are more knowledgeable and connected to athletes than ever before. It makes sense to give them a voice in determining who will be the recipients of tennis’ ultimate honor. With votes coming in from more than 120 countries around the world, we’re glad to see that so many tennis fans have embraced Fan Voting as a means to engage with tennis history and stay connected with tennis greats beyond their playing days,” stated Todd Martin, CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
The Class of 2020 Induction Ceremony will be held on July 18, 2020.
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Four Players on Ballot for 2020 Induction into the International Tennis Hall of FameTennis legends Jonas Björkman, Sergi Bruguera, Goran Ivanišević, and Conchita Martínez are the nominees for the Class of 2020. Fan Voting returns August 26.
