Date:07/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/07/stories/2006090705062100.htm

Sport - Tennis

Pete Sampras heads Hall of Fame nominees

Pete Sampras... coveted honour. — Photo: AFP

NEW YORK: Pete Sampras heads the list of nominees for the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Sampras, who won a record 14 Grand Slam men's singles titles, is joined by Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the `recent player' category, the Hall announced on Tuesday from its home in Newport, Rhode Island.

Sampras was ranked No. 1 for a record 286 weeks, including 102 in a row from April 1996 to March 1998. He won a total of 64 singles titles, including his haul of majors — seven at Wimbledon, five at the U.S. Open and two at the Australian Open. Sampras won the last match of his career, beating Andre Agassi in the 2002 U.S. Open final.

Sanchez Vicario won three French Opens and was the first Spanish woman to win the U.S. Open singles title in 1994.

Other nominees:

Master player category: Sven Davidson (first Swedish man to win a Grand Slam title), Christine Truman Janes (won the French Championships in 1959 at age 18).

Contributor category: Russ Adams (photographer), late Robert Johnson (credited with launching the careers of Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson). — AP