August 25, 2022, NEWPORT, R.I. – Global tennis star Kim Clijsters has been named Honorary President of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. As Honorary President, Clijsters will represent the organization in an ambassadorial role publicly and will also collaborate with ITHF staff and tennis industry partners on initiatives that support the ITHF’s mission of preserving and celebrating tennis history. This will include a focus on connecting current players with tennis history and with the ITHF. Additionally, Clijsters will work in close partnership with Hall of Famer Gigi Fernandez, who has recently been named Hall of Famer Vice Chair as a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame Board of Governors. Together, Clijsters and Fernandez will put a special emphasis on fostering community among the Hall of Famers.
| “I am thrilled and humbled by this new opportunity to serve the sport. The International Tennis Hall of Fame does important, inspiring work through preservation efforts, impactful content, and celebrations,” commented Clijsters. “I am always eager to find a new way to be actively involved in tennis. I look forward to helping the organization continue to grow and thrive, and to connecting tennis fans around the world with our sport’s incredible history.” Clijsters is the first female and first European to serve in this capacity as a lead ambassador for the International Tennis Hall of Fame, succeeding Stan Smith. “Across all generations and sectors of our sport, you will not find an individual as well-respected, admired, and who resonates the way Kim Clijsters does. Kim’s love for tennis and her enthusiasm for giving back to the sport are infectious. Similar to her predecessors, Stan Smith, and Tony Trabert before him, Kim operates with great integrity and represents our sport elegantly. She is a bona fide role model and the ideal ambassador for the International Tennis Hall of Fame,” commented ITHF CEO Todd Martin. Clijsters was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2017, in recognition of her extraordinary career, which included achieving the world No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles and winning six major titles – four in singles and two in doubles. Clijsters is currently a broadcaster for Eurosport. |
