Russia's Kafelnikov Says Excited To Be Inducted To Tennis Hall Of Fame

Russia's Kafelnikov Says Excited to be Inducted to Tennis Hall of Fame

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st July, 2019) The Russian tennis legend Yevgeny Kafelnikov told Sputnik on Saturday that he was excited to become a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, an elite group of about 250 of the most honorable tennis players from around the world.

Earlier in the day, Hall of Fame President Stan Smith said that Kafelnikov would be inducted into the Hall of Fame along with two other great players - Li Na from China and Mary Pierce from France. The official ceremony, scheduled to be held later on Saturday, will crown the Hall of Fame Weekend in the city of Newport in Rhode Island.

"This day is very special to me. Induction into the Hall of Fame is that recognition which I did not have in my professional career yet," Kafelnikov said, adding that "it is wonderful to be honored by the international tennis community.

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Kafelnikov said that he had many remarkable moments throughout his career, particularly in between 1992 and 2002, when the Russian national team won the Davis Cup.

"It was the last trophy I wanted to get in my career," he added.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov, 45, won 26 singles and 27 doubles titles throughout career. In 1996 he became the first Russian who won one of the Grand Slam competition: he triumphed in French Open singles and got the title in the doubles with Czech's Daniel Vacek. He also was the singles champion at the 1999 Australian Open.

Kafelnikov will become the second Russian member of the Hall of Fame after Marat Safin who inducted in 2016. He won the Olympic Gold medal in Sydney in 2000, and was a member of Russia's national team clinched Davis Cup in 2002.