Ash Barty, Juan Martín del Potro and Svetlana Kuznetsova Announced as Player Category Nominees for the International Tennis Hall of Fame
Four-time Paralympic gold medalist and 28-time major champion Shingo Kunieda of Japan is nominated in the Wheelchair Tennis Category.
Fan Voting for the Player Category is now live and will continue through Sunday, Oct. 25. Cast your ballot at vote.tennisfame.com
Four-time major champion and former world No.1 Ash Barty of Australia headlines the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Class of 2027 nominees, joined by 2009 US Open champion Juan Martín del Potro and four-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova who return to the ballot in the Player Category. Four-time Paralympic gold medalist and 28-time major singles champion Shingo Kunieda of Japan is nominated in the Wheelchair Tennis Category.
PLAYER CATEGORY
The Player Category recognizes ATP and WTA players who have achieved a distinguished record of competitive achievement at the highest international level:
Ash Barty is a former world No. 1 and three-time major singles champion whose career was defined by versatility. Her singles major victories spanned three surfaces, including 2019 Roland-Garros, 2021 Wimbledon, and the 2022 Australian Open. In doubles, she reached the finals of all four majors, winning the 2018 US Open title.
Barty first reached world No. 1 in 2019, spending 121 total weeks at the top, including 114 consecutive weeks.
She accumulated 15 singles and 12 doubles WTA titles, earned WTA Player of the Year honors in 2019 and 2021, and won Olympic mixed doubles bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Retiring in 2022 as world No. 1, Barty concluded her career with a 305–102 singles record.
Juan Martín del Potro of Argentina is the 2009 US Open men’s singles champion, one of 22 titles captured over the course of his career. In 2008, while still a teenager, del Potro earned four ATP singles titles, along the way compiling a 23-match winning streak. In 2009, del Potro reached his first major final, and secured a five-set victory at the US Open. He finished the year as the youngest player in the top 10 ranking. In 2016, del Potro led Argentina to its first Davis Cup title and also earned a silver medal in the Olympic singles competition.
Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia is a four-time major champion, with two apiece in singles and doubles. She won singles titles at the 2004 US Open and 2009 Roland-Garros, and doubles titles at the 2005 and 2012 Australian Opens. She reached an additional two major finals in both disciplines.
During her 15-year career, she won 18 WTA singles titles, 16 in doubles and reached career high rankings of No. 2 in singles and No. 3 in doubles. In nine years of representing Russia, Kuznetsova and her teams captured three Bille Jean King Cup titles.
WHEELCHAIR TENNIS CATEGORY
The Wheelchair Tennis Category is considered for Hall of Fame induction every four years, and recognizes candidates with a distinguished record of competitive achievement at the highest international level:
Japan’s Shingo Kunieda is the most decorated men’s wheelchair tennis player in history. Over a 20-year career, he captured a record 50 major titles, 28 in singles and 22 in doubles. With his final major title at Wimbledon in 2022, he completed the career Grand Slam and became the first men’s wheelchair tennis player to achieve a career Golden Slam.
Kunieda spent a record 582 weeks as the world No. 1 and amassed 117 singles titles. A 10-time ITF World Champion, he earned four Paralympic gold medals, including three in singles (2008, 2012, 2020), and stands as the only wheelchair tennis player to medal at five consecutive Paralympic Games. He also led Japan to three World Team Cup titles before retiring in 2023 while still holding the top ranking.
Fans around the globe can weigh in on which Player Category nominees are deserving of Hall of Fame induction during ITHF Fan Voting. The polls are open, and tennis fans can cast their ballots through Sunday, Oct. 25 at vote.tennisfame.com. With the ballot set, the Official Voting Group comprised of tennis journalists, historians, and Hall of Famers, will cast also their ballots this fall.
The top three candidates in the Fan Vote will receive added percentage points to their vote totals from the Official Voting Group, with first place earning three percentage points, second place two percentage points, and third place one percentage point. To be elected to the Hall of Fame, candidates must receive an affirmative vote of at least 75% or higher from the combined total of the Official Voting Group result, and any bonus percentage points earned in the Fan Vote.
Results from the Fan Vote will be announced shortly after the voting period. Following the Official Voting Group ballot tabulation, the Class of 2027 inductees and dates for the 2027 Induction Celebration will be announced later this fall.
For additional information on the nominees, Fan Voting and the ITHF’s induction process, visit tennisfame.com.
