By Tennis Now | Friday, May 15, 2020
ITHF class of 2020 inductees Conchita Martínez and Goran Ivanišević will now be honored in July 2021 at the iconic Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.
Photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame
The class of 2020 is moving to 2021.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame class of 2020 Induction Ceremony and the Hall of Fame Open, the annual ATP Tour grass-court tournament in Newport, have been cancelled due to the coronavirus.
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The induction ceremony and festivities for Class of 2020 inductees Conchita Martínez and Goran Ivanišević had been scheduled for July 18th. Martínez and Ivanišević will now be honored in July 2021, alongside any new inductees elected for the Class of 2021.
The 2020 Hall of Fame Open, scheduled for July 12 - 19th, is cancelled. The 2021 Hall of Fame Open is set for July 11-18th, 2021.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame will contact all ticket holders directly via email to reconcile their ticket purchases. Ticket holders can convert the tickets into a tax-deductible donation to the Hall of Fame, defer their tickets for use at the 2021 tournament, or receive a full refund.
“While we will miss the annual traditions of Enshrinement Weekend and the Hall of Fame Open this year, the health and safety of all those involved and our local community is the priority,” Todd Martin, International Tennis Hall of Fame CEO said. “We are looking forward to providing Conchita Martínez and Goran Ivanišević the celebration they deserve in becoming Hall of Famers and bringing the best of professional tennis back to Newport next summer.”
Ivanišević will become Croatia’s first-ever Hall of Fame tennis player, while Martínez joins fellow legendary Spaniards including Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, Manuel Santana, Manuel Orantes, and the late Andrés Gimeno and Manuel Alonso, among the tennis legends in the Hall of Fame.
“I am already looking forward to July 2021 in Newport. Moving the festivities to next year is the right decision for everyone. We can all hope the world will be in a better place by then and there will be much to celebrate,” Martínez said.
Although no large events will take place on the property this summer, the International Tennis Hall of Fame will continue to celebrate Martínez and Ivanišević’s careers through digital content on tennisfame.com and ITHF social media channels, along with many other digital programs.
“Finding out that I was going to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame was already a huge joy and honor for me this year," Ivanišević said. "I will gladly wait until next year for the actual celebration so we can all focus on what matters right now, which is of course, health.”