Germany's Stich, Czech Sukova to Join Tennis Hall of Fame

New York, Jul 19 (AFP) Former Wimbledon champion Michael Stich of Germany and 14-time Grand Slam doubles champion Helena Sukova of the Czech Republic will be inducted Saturday into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Stich, 49, and Sukova, 53, will be enshrined Saturday in ceremonies at the ATP Hall of Fame Classic in the sporting showplace at Newport, Rhode Island.

Stich won his only Grand Slam singles crown at Wimbledon in 1991, downing countryman Boris Becker in straight sets in the final. He was a runner-up at the 1994 US Open, falling to Andre Agassi, and in the 1996 French Open, losing to Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

Former world number two Stich partnered with Becker to win the 1992 Barcelona Olympic men's doubles crown and joined American John McEnroe to claim the 1992 Wimbledon men's doubles title.

Stich, now tournament director of the ATP German Open in Hamburg, won 18 career singles titles in 31 finals before retiring in 1997.

"It's quite an honor," Stich said.

"I'm humbled to be included among this elite group of tennis athletes, many of whom I so greatly admired and was inspired by throughout my career."

Sukova, a women's world doubles number one for 68 weeks, captured nine Grand Slam women's doubles crowns and five mixed doubles titles. Her doubles trophy haul included four women's and three mixed at Wimbledon, one each at the French Open, two women's and a mixed at the US Open and two women's at the Australian Open.

In singles, Sukova reached as high as fourth in the world and reached the finals twice each at the US and Australian Opens. She captured 10 singles titles as well as 69 career doubles crowns before retiring in 1998.

"It was truly my joy and privilege to compete for my country on the WTA tour and among the greatest tennis players in the world," Sukova said.

"I'm incredibly honored to be selected for the Hall of Fame." AFP SSC SSC

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