Conchita Martínez enters the Tennis Hall of Fame

The Spanish former tennis player Conchita Martinez will enter this Sunday in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, based in Newport (USA), the highest distinction given by this sport and which recognizes the importance of the achievements made and the contributions made to transform the history of tennis.

Conchita was chosen to be part of this Hall of Fame last year, just like the Croatian Goran Ivanisevic, but the pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 ceremony. Both Wimbledon winners will share a ceremony this Saturday (6:00 p.m. on the east coast of the United States) with the new members elected this year, the coach Dennis Van der Meer, already deceased, and the members of the so-called ‘Original 9’, pioneers in women’s professional tennis and that inspired equality in sports and in society: Peaches Bartkowicz, Rosie Casals, Julie Heldman, Billie Jean King, Kristy Pigeon, Nancy Richey, Valerie Ziegenfuss, Judy Tegart Dalton y Kerry Melville Reid.

An annual highlight: when the new inductees see their faces in the ITHF Museum for the first time. ❤️✨

Welcome to Newport, Conchita Martinez ???????? and Goran Ivanisevic ????????#EnshrinementWeekend pic.twitter.com/eVwRwDZpaZ

— Tennis Hall of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) July 16, 2021

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Conchita became world number 2 and won the tournament Wimbledon in 1994 defeating in the final Martina Navratilova to be the first Spanish to triumph in the London tournament, something that has only been achieved later precisely by her pupil, Garbiñe Muguruza. In addition, throughout his 18-year career he reached two other Grand Slam finals (Australia 1998 and Roland Garros 2000), raised 33 titles (only behind Rafael Nadal in Spanish tennis), he hung three Olympic medals in doubles in three different Games and conquered five Federation Cups. She was also the captain of that team, as well as that of the Davis Cup.

“We have been waiting a whole year and finally being here with all my family and my friends is a very special moment,” said the former Aragonese player this Friday, during her visit to the Newport museum. “It’s great to look at the history of tennis and share it with all of them.”