TennisToday

Jennifer Capriati and Gustavo Kuerten Inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame

JENNIFER CAPRIATI

#1, 14 WTA titles, 3 Slams (Aussie '01-'02 & French '01) & '92 Olympic gold.

4 times Jen lost heartbreakers in the semis at the US Open.

Jen: I still managed to overcome some adversity, win a Gold Medal...

Win some Grand Slams and stand at the podium at the Hall of Fame.

'This is one milestone I thought I'd never achieve.It's been quite a journey

Here, I look back at all those really great things I've accomplished...

And the achievements I've had and those achievements I overcame.

***
GUSTAVO KUERTEN

#1, 20 ATP titles and 3 Slams - all at the Roland Garros: '97, '00-'01.

Guga on his 3 RG titles: I believe it's the surface you have to suffer more.

'You have to be out there for many hours.

You have to use every weapon you can & fight like a warrior. It's fun to try.

Photos: JenCap - AP, Guga - Getty Images

Andre Agassi Covers Tennis View Magazine Ahead of His Hall of Fame Induction

Goodness, has it really been 5 years since his teary goodbye at the US Open?

Andre won 60 titles including 8 Slams and the Olympic gold medal in '96.

He also spent a total of 101 weeks atop the ATP tour rankings.

Andre was year-end #1 once in '99 and #2 on three occasions: '94, '95 & '02.

At 33 and 4 months he is the oldest man to hold the #1 ranking.

And spent 16 years in the top 10 - the most (tied with Jimmy Connors).

But he'll tell you that his great achievement is his prep school in Las Vegas.

Which boastes an incredible success rate.

Well done Andre. Newport is proud to have you.

Andre Agassi Selected for Hall of Fame Induction

Aptly, Andre will join wife Steffi Graf as an honoree in Newport.

The first time I saw him play live was a thriller at Indian Wells in 1988.

He was a brash punk-ass kid in demin shorts and rock star hair.

He was 17 and just making his name on the tour.

Andre found himself in tight semifinal tangle against Boris Becker.

And he took the 1st set. The stadium was rocking.

After all, Boris was the current 2-time Wimbledon champion.

And most hadn't ever seen Andre yet.

Boris took the 2nd set and then a trhiller ensued in the 3rd.

Final score that day: 46 64 75 for Becker.

Obs, I had no clue I was watching two future Hall of Famers...

Or that an 11 year rivalry was being born: H2H - 10-4/AA.

Oh, and I also remember the sunburn I absorbed that day.

***

Later that year he would advance to the Sf's at Roland Garros & US Open.

His storied career includes 8 Slams: 4 AO, 1 RG, 1 W, 2 US.

And an Olympic title won in Atlanta.

He & Pete Sampras gave tennis an historic rivalry - 20-14/PS.

But, Andre will tell you that his best work has come off of the court.

Tennis allowed him to open his prep school. That's his baby.

Andre tweeted today: Thank you everyone for all your support,

I'm truly honored to be recognized alongside the greatest players of tennis.

Well done Andre. And well deserved.

Bodo on Nick Bollettieri's Exclusion from the Hall of Fame

At long last - - - Pete Bodo and I actually finally agree on something.

If you have a few minutes please take the time to read Bodo's take (on Tennis.com), which mirrors mine, on how and why Nick Bollettieri did NOT make the cut into the Tennis Hall of Fame this year. As Pete sums it up perfectly - it probably has something to do with his gruff image.

Boo to the HoF.

Nick should (and deserves) legendary coaching status but instead finds himself continually at odds with the prim of the sport.

In my humble opinion, the Tennis Hall of Fame needs to be moved to a city that people actually visit. Newport, R.I. - really?

A quick personal tory: Once in the early 90's I was riding the subway back to Manhattan from the US Open and sitting across the car from me was good ol' Nick. At first I thought it strange that he didn't have a driver (lord knows he could afford it) but I enjoyed the fact that he was just trying to be like us regular folk. The people on the subway were tennis knowledgeable and he was certainly recognized and even engaged a fan in a little Agassi talk. We exchanged smiles just before he de-trained at Grand Central.