Tennis Hall of Fame Celebrates New Inductees

A small, intimate crowd gathered around Center Court at the International Tennis
Hall of Fame on Saturday, July 12, to pay tribute to friendship, partnership and teamwork as two doubles teams were inducted into the Hall of Fame, alongside wheelchair tennis pioneer Brad Parks and Owen Davidson, a 12-time grand slam champion. British announcer Derek Hardwick was also inducted posthumously with a speech from Russ Adams.

Hall of Famer Tony Trabert welcomed the seven inductees to the press conference
preceding the ceremony and opened the floor for questions. Rather than highlighting individual successes, the questions were more-so curiosities about the secrets to a successful doubles team. The Australian doubles team of Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, or "The Woodies," dominated the floor—their chemistry off the court was amusingly obvious.

Woodbridge said the Hall of Fame was never on his radar during his
time as an active player.

"This is beyond anything I ever dreamt," he said.

Within every answer from the doubles champs, chemistry, partnership and respect were continuously mentioned as the key ingredients to a successful doubles team. Gigi Fernandez, beside her doubles partner Natasha Zyereva, said: "I've heard of teams who don't get along, but they're not here."

The brilliantly clad, inimitable Bud Collins, dressed in bright orange slacks, shoes and a cream blazer, led the procession onto Center Court. Other Hall of Famers also attended to show their support for the new inductees, including Pam Shriver, Rose Casals and Donald Dell. The National Anthem, sung by Jimmy Winters of the Newport Police Department, initiated the start of the ceremony as each inductee was introduced with a speech.

Extreme opposites Belarusian Natasha Zvereva and Puerto Rican Gigi Fernandez hold 14 grand slam titles as a doubles pair. Inducted by Pam Shriver, a fellow Hall of Famer, she credited their dueling personalities for their success. Both each the first from their countries to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, Fernandez was "awed by the occasion" and read an excerpt from a letter she wrote to Zyereva the year she [Fernandez] retired.

"Gigi has also set a new record for most family members on court," joked Chris Clouser, the Chairman of the Hall of Fame. Fernandez had 48 family members in attendance.

The Woodies were an act themselves as they reminisced about their journey together, which includes 61 ATP doubles titles and 11 grand slams. Woodbridge thanked his wife Natasha and his coach from 1991-98 Ray Ruffles, calling him "a guiding light in his life filling the void of a parent as a teenager." Back in 1991, he joined forces with Mark "Pecker" (as in Woody Woodpecker) which sparked the flame for their doubles career.

"We did better than well," Woodbridge said. "We did bloody great."

Despite the unusually small turn-out for the ceremony, the atmosphere was appropriate for this celebration of not only athleticism, but of friendship, camaraderie and the reasons why players play.