Russia's Kafelnikov Set To Be Inducted Into International Tennis Hall Of Fame

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th July, 2019) The Russian legend of tennis Yevgeny Kafelnikov will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame during a ceremony at its headquarters in the city of Newport, Rhode Island on Saturday.

Kafelnikov, a two time Grand Slam singles champion, will join an elite group of about 250 of the most honorable tennis players from around the world along with China's Li Na and France's Mary Pierce.

He will become the second Russian member of the Hall of Fame after Marat Safin who was inducted in 2016.

"It's a pleasure to congratulate Li Na, Mary Pierce, and Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and to welcome them into the International Tennis Hall of Fame," Hall of Fame President Stan Smith said in a statement.

Smith called them "incredibly hard-working athletes who set and achieved goals at tennis' highest levels."

The induction, Smith added, is a well-deserved honor and the organization looks forward to "celebrating them as Hall of Famers."

Kafelnikov, 45, won 26 singles and 27 doubles titles throughout his career. In 1996 he became the first Russian to win a Grand Slam competition, triumphing in the French Open singles and in the doubles with Czech Daniel Vacek. He also was the singles champion at the 1999 Australian Open.

Kafelnikov won the Olympic Gold medal in Sydney in 2000, and was a member of Russia's national team which clinched the Davis Cup in 2002.