TENNIS GREATS JIMMY CONNORS & MONICA SELES TO BE PRESENTERS AT THE 2016 HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONIES AND AMELIE MAURESMO TO BE HONORED AS WELL

Written by: Staff on 22nd June 2016

TENNIS GREATS JIMMY CONNORS & MONICA SELES TO BE PRESENTERS AT THE 2016 HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONIES AND AMELIE MAURESMO TO BE HONORED AS WELL

Sport. Tennis. pic: 1991. US. Open Tennis Championships at Flushing Meadow. USA's Jimmy Connors celebrates a vital point in his match when he beat Aaron Krickstein. |

Jimmy Connors and Monica Seles to serve as presenters at International Tennis Hall of Fame

Class of 2016 Induction

– Jimmy Connors will present 2016 inductee Marat Safin, while Monica Seles will introduce Justine Henin at the ceremony. –

– Additionally, 2015 inductee Amelie Mauresmo will be honored at the ceremony alongside the Class of 2016, as she was unable to attend last year’s ceremony.–

– The 2016 Induction Ceremony will be held on July 16 in Newport, Rhode Island.–

Tennis legends Jimmy Connors and Monica Seles will return to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island this summer to serve as presenters at the Hall of Fame induction festivities.

The Class of 2016 Induction Ceremony will see the sport’s highest honor be presented to former world No. 1’s Marat Safin of Russia and Justine Henin of Belgium. In addition, Class of 2015 Hall of Famer Amelie Mauresmo will be honored during the ceremony. Mauresmo was unable to attend last year’s ceremony due to the birth of her child.

“It’s very fitting to have the great champions of the Class of 2016 be welcomed into the International Tennis Hall of Fame by two of our sport’s all-time greats, Jimmy Connors and Monica Seles. We’re looking forward to a fantastic Rolex Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend in Newport in July to celebrate Justine, Marat, and Amelie, and their remarkable accomplishments,” commented Todd Martin, CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Along with the inductees, Connors and Seles headline a star-studded weekend in Newport for the festivities, with the induction ceremony set for July 16 and additional events throughout the weekend, including PowerShares Legends Newport, a one-day legends tournament featuring Safin back in action.

Connors, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, will serve as the presenter for Safin at the ceremony. In the ceremony, the presenter traditionally introduces the inductee before they are officially inducted, providing a look back at their career accomplishments and contributions to the sport. Although they played in different eras, Connors and Safin, both fiery competitors, have long been admirers of each other’s tennis careers. Connors was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1998.

Seles, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, will present Henin at the induction ceremony. Seles and Henin’s careers had some overlap with the two players meeting in competition seven times. Both players were bolstered by notable baseline games and fierce backhands, and the two legends also approached the sport with a mental toughness that made them nearly untouchable at times.

During the ceremony, Amelie Mauresmo will be presented by her longtime manager and friend Micky Lawler, who now serves as president of the WTA.

International Tennis Hall of Fame President Stan Smith, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987, will play an active role in the induction ceremony. Hall of Famers Rosie Casals, Vic Seixas, Owen Davidson, Butch Buchholz, Donald Dell, Peachy Kellmeyer, Charlie Pasarell, and Jane Brown Grimes, will all be in Newport for the event. Additional notable tennis guests joining the celebration will include former world No. 1 Dinara Safina, sister of Marat Safin; retired WTA player Jill Craybas, who is a Rhode Island native; and former ATP stars Vijay Armritraj and Jimmy Arias.

The weekend will draw another fun pop of tennis celebrity on Sunday, July 17, when the newly inducted Marat Safin will be back in action on the tennis court for fans to enjoy once again. Safin will be competing in PowerShares Legends Newport, a special one-day tournament featuring three matches and one eventual champion crowned among retired tennis greats. In addition to Safin, the event will feature Andy Roddick, James Blake, and Mark Philippoussis.

TICKETS

The ceremony and festivities will be held in conjunction with the annual Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, an ATP World Tour event. The weekend offers two incredible days of tennis and events for fans to enjoy.

The Class of 2016 Induction Ceremony will be held on Saturday, July 16 at 12 pm during Rolex Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Tickets include access to the ceremony and the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships semifinals and doubles final.

PowerShares Legends Newport will be held on Sunday, July 17 at 11 am. Tickets include access to the PowerShares event and the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships singles final.

Tickets for the events are on sale now on www.HallofFameTennisChampionships.com or by phone at 401-849-6053.

BROADCAST

The International Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2016 Induction Ceremony will be broadcast live on Tennis Channel.

About the International Tennis Hall of Fame

Established in 1954, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the history of tennis, inspiring and encouraging junior tennis development, providing a landmark for tennis enthusiasts worldwide, and enshrining tennis heroes and heroines with the highest honor in the sport of tennis- induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, USA, on a seven-acre property that features an extensive museum that showcases the history of the sport and honors the 243 Hall of Famers; 13 grass tennis courts and an indoor tennis facility; a rare Court Tennis facility; and an historic 297-seat theatre. Annually in July, the venue hosts the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships for the Van Alen Cup, an ATP World Tour event. For information on the International Tennis Hall of Fame and its programs, visit tennisfame.com

Topics: Jimmy Connors, Monica Seles, Tennis Hall Of Fame, Tennis News