By Randy Walker
The International Tennis Hall of Fame’s “Class of 2012” will be inducted Saturday in ceremonies in Newport, Rhode Island. Highlighting the class are former world No. 1 and teen phenom Jennifer Capriati and three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten and will also include 1975 US Open champion Manuel Orantes, administrator Mike Davies and wheelchair tennis standout Randy Snow.
While much will be written and spoken of these five inductees over the next few days, there are other deserving candidates who are being overlooked by the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, some who will likely have no one lobbying for their inclusion.
Daphne Akhurst is so regarded by Tennis Australia and the Australian Open that her name graces the Australian Open women’s singles trophy, won this year by Victoria Azarenka. As famed tennis historian and journalist Bud Collins describes in his book THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS (available here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0942257707?tag=tennisgrancom-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0942257707&adid=1HSRFS3QCB6NKV4HTHXQ&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennisgrandstand.com%2F) Akhurst was “her country’s first prolific champ” winning five Australian singles titles from 1925 to 1931 and collecting 14 total majors, all at her national tournament, including five women’s doubles titles and four mixed doubles trophies. She also made the semifinals of the Australian in 1924 and at Wimbledon in 1928. She also was a quarterfinalist at the French in 1928 and at Wimbledon in 1925. She also was the first Australian woman to make the world’s Top 5 (No. 3 in 1928). She was born on April 22, 1903 and died January 9, 1933, while in childbirth.
Akhurst’s countrywoman, Thelma Long, who won 19 major titles (2 Australian singles, 12 Australian doubles, 4 Australian mixed, 1 French mixed titles) and is the most prolific winner of women’s major titles not currently in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She’s won more major titles than the entire Class of 2012 combined! (As did Akhurst!)
Much more discussed, debated and whispered about throughout the tennis community are the two most well-known people who have been “overlooked” – Nick Bollettieri and Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
One of the ironies with Bollettieri is that his brand name is probably more recognizable around the world than the Tennis Hall of Fame itself. Said Kuerten when he was announced as a 2012 inductee, “I have to confess, in my first years playing tennis, I didn’t even know that the Hall of Fame existed.” During Kuerten’s teenage, formative tennis years, Bollettieri and his Bollettieri Academy was one of the most discussed topics in the sport as he jettisoned Andre Agassi to the upper echelon of the game in a global sonic boom across the sport in 1988, when “Guga” was 12 years old. The Bollettieri Academy was such a hot commodity that it was purchased by the sports marketing mega-firm, the International Management Group (IMG). The “tennis academy” system that Bollettieri made famous became a part of the everyday tennis vernacular and in pop culture. If you asked a New York City cab driver how you would turn a kid into a tennis pro, they’d say “Send them to a tennis academy.” Chances are, that cab driver would probably name Bollettieri specifically.
As for Kafelnikov, when presented with the “tale of the tape” comparing his career with Kuerten’s below, it’s pretty plain to see that Kafelnikov’s achievements and record exceed that of Kuerten. Kafelnikov won approximately 40 percent more career singles matches and prize money, six more singles titles (25 more titles in singles and doubles combined), double the major titles (singles and doubles combined) and double the number of semifinal or better finishes at Grand Slam tournaments than that of Kuerten.
SINGLES RECORD
Kafelnikov 609–306
Kuerten 358–195
SINGLES TITLES
Kafelnikov 26
Kuerten 20
WEEKS RANKED No. 1
Kafelnikov 6 weeks
Kuerten 43 weeks
MAJOR SINGLES TITLES
Kafelnikov 2 – 1996 French, 1999 Australian
Kuerten 3 – 1997, 2000, 2001 French
MAJOR DOUBLES TITLES
Kafelnikov 4 (1997 US Open, 1996, 1997, 2002 French Open)
Kuerten 0
MAJOR RUNNER-UP SHOWINGS SINGLES
Kafelnikov 1 (2000 Australian)
Kuerten 0
MAJOR SEMIFINAL FINISHES SINGLES
Kafelnikov 3 (1999, 2001 US Open, 1995 French)
Kuerten 0
BEST OLYMPIC RESULT
Kafelnikov Gold Medalist, Singles, 2000
Kuerten Quarterfinalist, Singles, 2000
DAVIS CUP RECORD/BEST TEAM RESULT
Kafelnikov Champion, 2002
Kuerten Semifinals, 2000
DOUBLES TITLES
Kafelnikov 27
Kuerten 8
PRIZE MONEY
Kafelnikov $23,883,797
Kuerten $14,807,000
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Kuerten leads series 7-5
Most notable matches
2001 Tennis Masters Cup – Kafelnikov d. Kuerten 62 46 63 in round robin
2001 US Open quarterfinals – Kafelnikov d. Kuerten 64 60 63
2001 French Open quarterfinals – Kuerten d. Kafelnikov 61 36 76 64
2000 Tennis Masters Cup – Kuerten d. Kafelnikov 63 64 in round robin
2000 Sydney Olympics quarterfinals– Kafelnikov d. Kuerten 64 75
2000 French Open quarterfinals– Kuerten d. Kafelnikov 63 36 46 64 62
1997 French Open quarterfinals – Kuerten d. Kafelnikov 62 57 26 60 64
For more information on the International Tennis Hall of Fame –and to view the list of inductees – go to www.TennisFame.com