Roddick Named To 2017 Tennis Hall Of Fame Ballot

Former World No. 1 Andy Roddick has been nominated for the highest honor in the sport of tennis: induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The American is on the ballot in the Recent Player Category for induction in the Hall of Fame Class of 2017.

“I’m incredibly honored to be considered for the Hall of Fame,” said Roddick, the 2003 US Open champion. “I put my all into our sport for many years, and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to compete with some of the best athletes tennis has ever known, many of whom were idols I looked up to all my life. It is a huge honor for me to have my name be considered to be alongside theirs in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. I’d like to extend my thanks to the nominating committee for including me on the ballot.”

Roddick, 34, held the World No. 1 ATP Ranking for 13 weeks, and he was year-end No. 1 in 2003. Roddick finished the season in the Top 10 for nine straight years (2002 – 2010), and was inside the world Top 5 for 187 weeks during the course of his career.

In 2003, Roddick defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero to win the US Open title, closing out the match on three straight aces. He returned to the finals in 2006, and he was also a three-time finalist at Wimbledon. Roddick won 32 singles titles, including five ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments.

Roddick was a dedicated team member of the United States Davis Cup team for 10 years. In 2007, he was instrumental in leading the U.S. to defeat Russia for their 32nd Davis Cup victory.

Known for his incredibly fast and powerful serve, Roddick set multiple records for fastest serve recorded at specific tournaments over the years. His personal best was a 155 mph ace at the 2004 Davis Cup, which was the fastest serve in tennis history at the time.

Roddick is the founder of the Andy Roddick Foundation, a non-profit that is dedicated to offering enrichment programs for kids outside of the classroom to provide growth opportunities literacy, STEM, art, and sports. Since retiring from the ATP World Tour, Roddick has stayed active in the sport, competing in WorldTeam Tennis and PowerShares Series events. He has also worked in broadcast for Fox Sports and the BBC.

Former WTA No. 1 Kim Clijsters has also been nominated in the Recent Player Category alongside Roddick. Monique Kalkman, a Paralympic gold medalist and notable Dutch wheelchair tennis player of the 1990s has been nominated in the Recent Player Category for Wheelchair Tennis. In recognition of their commitment to the development of the sport, two individuals are nominated in the Contributor Category. Vic Braden, a renowned tennis instructor who was among the first to apply sports science to his instructional tactics, has been nominated posthumously. Steve Flink, a distinguished tennis historian, broadcaster, and journalist has also been nominated.

“Kim Clijsters and Andy Roddick are two incredibly dynamic athletes who certainly left their mark on tennis history. They were both relentlessly committed to the sport, and as a result they reached the top of the game. Monique Kalkman was an inspiration to many and her success in the Paralympics and significant tournaments places her at the pinnacle of wheelchair tennis,” said Stan Smith, International Tennis Hall of Fame President and 1987 Hall of Famer, who also serves as Chairman of the Enshrinee Nominating Committee. “In addition to the athletes who excel at the top levels of the sport, growth and engagement in tennis worldwide also hinges on dedicated industry leaders who are so passionate about the game, such as Vic Braden in his teaching and Steve Flink in his work as a journalist and historian. Congratulations to all the nominees on this great recognition of their careers.”

Located in Newport, Rhode Island, 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. Induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame recognizes the sum of one’s achievements at the highest possible level.

Voting for the Hall of Fame Class of 2017 will take place this fall, and the inductees will be announced in the first quarter of 2017.