Carlos Moya Returns as Nominee for International Tennis Hall of Fame

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Moya is back in the running…

The 47-year-old Spanish former world No. 1 tennis player has been nominated for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the player category.

Moya is one of six player candidates announced for the Class of 2024, along with fellow returning nominees Daniel Nestor, Cara Black, Ana Ivanovic and Flavia Pennetta.

Moya is the 1998 French Open singles champion and the runner-up at the 1997 Australian Open. In 2004, he was part of his country’s winning Davis Cup team. He has been Rafael Nadal‘s primary coach since 2016.

Black, Ivanovic, Moya, Nestor and Pennetta all fell short of the required 75% of the vote in past balloting from the official voting group — which includes media, historians, Hall of Famers and industry experts — and bonus percentage points awarded based on a fan vote. Nominees can remain in contention for three years.

Leander Paes is the sole first-time nominee in the player category.

The ballot for 2024 also includes two contributor category candidates: Vijay Amritraj and journalist Richard Evans.

This year’s online fan voting for the player category runs from Wednesday to Oct. 9.

The Hall’s Class of 2023 members — wheelchair star Esther Vergeer and quad division pioneer Rick Draney — were enshrined in July.

Juan Carlos Ferrero Among This Year’s International Tennis Hall of Fame Nominees

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Carlos Ferrero has another chance at a place in the hall…

The International Tennis Hall of Fame has announced the nominees for the Class of 2023, with the 42-year-old Spanish former world No. 1 tennis player among the half-dozen holdovers from the vote last year, the first time in history no one on the ballot was selected.

Ferrero makes his return to the ballot in the Player Category alongside Cara Black, Ana Ivanovic, Flavia Pennetta, Carlos Moya and Lisa Raymond.

None of those six reached the required 75% of the vote for the Class of 2022 in combined results from the official voting group — which includes media, historians, Hall of Famers and industry experts — and bonus percentage points awarded based on a fan vote. Nominees can remain in contention for three years.

Dutch wheelchair star Esther Vergeer is among three new nominees for the Class of 2023. Vergeer, nominated in the Wheelchair Tennis Category, won 44 Grand Slam titles between singles and doubles and was unbeaten for more than 10 years.

Rick Draney, who helped pioneer the Quad Division in addition to being an accomplished athlete, is also nominated in the Wheelchair Tennis Category.

Daniel Nestor, owner of eight Grand Slam doubles trophies, makes his debut in the Player Category.

Inductees will be announced next year. The Hall ceremony is scheduled for July 22 at the Rhode Island-based Hall, which has been around since 1955.

Carlos Moya Nominated for International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022

Posted on October 14, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Moya is one step closer to reaching tennis elite status…

The 45-year-old Spanish former world No. 1 tennis player is one of the new nominees on the International Tennis Hall of Fame ballot for the class of 2022.

Moya, the French Open singles champion in 1998, is joined by fellow Grand Slam title winners Ana Ivanovic, Flavia Pennetta and Cara Black, who join holdovers Lisa Raymond and Juan Carlos Ferrero.

The Hall announced the candidates on Thursday. The half-dozen nominees all are in the player category; there is no one in the contributor or wheelchair categories, which only come every four years.

In addition to his Grand Slam title and former No. 1 ranking, Moya was part of his country’s successful Davis Cup team in 2004. He has been Rafael Nadal‘s primary coach since 2016,

Ivanovic won the 2008 French Open singles championship and reached No. 1 in the rankings. Pennetta was the 2015 US Open singles champion and made it to No. 1 in doubles. Black collected 10 major trophies in doubles or mixed doubles and was ranked No. 1 in doubles.

Raymond and Ferrero were first nominated for the class of 2021; players are eligible for three years before being dropped from the ballot. She won 11 Grand Slam trophies in doubles or mixed doubles and reached No. 1; he was the 2003 French Open singles champ and got to No. 1.

Fan voting begins Friday at vote.tennisfame.com and ends on Oct. 31. The top three finishers will receive bonus percentage points for their total count. Balloting by journalists, historians and members of the Hall of Fame will happen in the coming months.

The inductees will be announced early next year. The Hall ceremony is scheduled for July 16.

Garbiñe Muguruza: The Highest Paid Latina Athlete in the World

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Garbiñe Muguruza is the highest-paid Latina athlete…

Forbes has released its list of the 10 Highest-Paid Female Athletes, with the 24-year-old Spanish-Venezuelan professional tennis player and former world No. 1 making the cut.

Muguruza comes in at No. 4 on the list, behind Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki and Sloane Stephens.

Muguruza, who won her second Grand Slam at Wimbledon last year, earned 11 million during the tracking period.

Muguruza’s title at the All England Club meant a big bonus from sponsor Adidas and also helped her land a deal with Rolex. Evian signed Muguruza this year for a multiyear, global marketing campaign. Other sponsors include Babolat, Beats by Dre, Maui Jim sunglasses and Caser Seguros insurance.

In all, the 10 highest-paid female athletes banked $105 million from prize money, appearances, royalties and endorsements in the 12 months ending June 1, 2018. The tally is down 4% from last year and 28% from five years ago. Blame the retirements of popular endorsement stars like Li Na, Danica Patrick and Ana Ivanovic. Another dent: The off-court income of Maria Sharapova, who was the top-earning female athlete for 11 straight years, is still down more than 50% after the fallout from her 16-month suspension for taking a banned substance. Sharapova ranks fifth this year at $10.5 million.

Here’s the complete list:

1, Serena Williams — Total earnings: $18.1 million
2. Caroline Wozniacki — Total earnings: $13 million
3. Sloane Stephens — Total earnings: $11.2 million
4. Garbine Muguruza — Total earnings: $11 million
5. Maria Sharapova — Total earnings: $10.5 million
6. Venus Williams — Total earnings: $10.2 million
7. P.V. Sindhu — Total earnings: $8.5 million
8. Simona Halep — Total earnings: $7.7 million
9. Danica Patrick — Total earnings: $7.5 million
10. Angelique Kerber — Total earnings: $7 million

Garcia Wins First-Ever Title on Grass at the Mallorca Open

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Caroline Garcia is kicking serious grass, just in time for Wimbledon…

The 22-year-old part-Spanish tennis player hit an ace on match point to close out a 6-3, 6-4 victory on Sunday over Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova in the Mallorca Open final and claim her first-ever title on grass.

Things turned in Garcia’s favor starting in the seventh game of the match, when she reeled off three games in a row to take the first set.

Sevastova, who had had to spend a night in the hospital earlier in the week due to a stomach virus, continued to battle in the second set but was hurt by her low first-serve percentage – 41 percent – and also was unable to make any impression on Garcia’s service games.

Garcia, the tournament’s sixth seed, defeated former World No. 1 Ana Ivanovic in the quarterfinals and former Wimbledon finalist Kirsten Flipkens in the semifinals to reach her first final on grass.

It’s Garcia’s second singles title of the year, the third of her career.

Garcia, whose two previous WTA Tour titles had both come on clay, said afterward that she felt comfortable in Mallorca because the ball bounces higher and skids less at this tournament than other grass-court events.

She will now look to keep her momentum going at tennis’ premier grass-court showcase, Wimbledon, which gets under way on June 27.

Garcia Defeats Ana Ivanovic to Reach Mallorca Open Semifinals

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Caroline Garcia is two wins away from a momentous occassion…

The 22-year-old part-Spanish tennis player advanced to the semifinals of the Mallorca Open on Friday after defeating former World No. 1 Ana Ivanovic in three hard-fought sets.

The tournament’s sixth seed, currently ranked No. 32 in the world, closed out the quartefinal match with a 7-6 (9), 5-7, 6-3 score. It was her fourth straight win against Ivanovic, who is currently ranked No. 25 in the world.

Garcia, who hails from France, is seeking her first title on grass at the Mallorca Open.

Garcia, who won the women’s doubles title at this year’s French Open, had nine aces in the match. Ivanovic had eight aces and double-faulted 10 times.

She will next face Kirsten Flipkens, who beat qualifier Veronica Cepede Royg of Paraguay 7-5, 6-3.

Garcia Defeats No. 5 Seed Ana Ivanovic at the BNP Paribas Open

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Caroline Garcia is shaking things up at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells …

During Monday’s women’s action, the 21-year-old part-Spanish professional tennis player sent No. 5 seed Ana Ivanovic packing after a three-set thriller in the third round.

Garcia, the No. 25 seed, defeated Ivanovic 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.

It appeared Ivanovic would lose in straight sets as she was down 5-4 in the second set with Garcia serving to possibly close out the match, but Ivanovic mustered a three-game streak to keep herself alive, even if briefly.

In the third set, with Garcia serving while ahead 3-2, the game went back and forth in deuce, before Garcia pulled through. From there, she cruised to victory.

It’s Garcia’s second victory over Ivanovic this year. She previously beat the Serbian player in straight sets in the semifinals at the 2015 Monterrey Open. She’d eventually lose to Timea Bacsinszky in the final.

Garcia, currently ranked No. 28 in the world, will next face No. 24 seed Sabine Lisicki in the fourth round.

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