Canada's Nestor makes 2023 ballot for International Tennis Hall of Fame

Daniel Nestor returns a shot from from the team of Matwe Middelkoop and Jean-Julien Rojer, of the Netherlands, in Davis Cup tennis action in Toronto on Saturday, September 15, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker

Canadian tennis great Daniel Nestor has been named to the ballot for the 2023 class of the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Monday.

Nestor, who is among seven returning nominees in the player category, is an eight-time Grand Slam doubles champion and four-time mixed doubles Grand Slam winner in a career that spanned from 1991 to 2018.

The 50-year-old also won Olympic gold in 2000 and was the top-ranked doubles player for over 100 weeks. He won four ATP Tour finals doubles titles and was the first player to win 1,000 ATP doubles matches.

“It is overwhelming for me to be mentioned in the same breath as the best players of all time,” Nestor said. “I have a tremendous appreciation to God, my family, friends, coaches and partners who have helped me achieve this nomination. Congratulations to the other nominees listed on the 2023 ballot, all of whom have enjoyed incredible careers in the sport.”

Candidates on the 2023 ballot will go before the official voting group which includes media, Hall of Famers, and tennis historians. The top three candidates from fan voting, which will run from Oct. 20-30, will receive additional percentage points to their vote totals from the official voting group.

In order to make it into the Hall of Fame, a candidate must receive a vote of at least 75 per cent from the combined total of the official voting group and any additional points from fan voting.

The other nominees are Cara Black, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Ana Ivanovic, Carlos Moya, Flavia Pennetta and Lisa Raymond. Esther Vergeer and Rick Draney are nominees from the wheelchair tennis category.

Following the conclusion of the voting process from both fans and the official voting group, the inductees for the 2023 class will be announced early next year.

The induction ceremony itself is set to take place July 22, 2023.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2022.