Hewitt defers Hall of Fame induction thanks to vacation constraints

(Reuters) – Previous globe quantity 1 Lleyton Hewitt’s induction into the Intercontinental Tennis Hall of Fame will be deferred by a calendar year owing to COVID-19 journey limits from Australia to the United States, the Hall of Fame reported on Thursday.

Australian excellent Hewitt, who won two Grand Slam titles throughout his profession, was named to the Class of 2021 in February and was to be honoured at a July 17 induction ceremony at the Newport, Rhode Island-centered Hall of Fame.

“Unfortunately due to the situation around COVID this 12 months, my loved ones and I will not be able to make it about to Newport to rejoice this July,” former Wimbledon and U.S. Open up champion Hewitt stated in a movie on the Hall of Fame’s internet site.

“But we are really on the lookout ahead to coming back and essentially being a component of it in 2022 in July there in Newport, Rhode Island at the Hall of Fame.

“I desire completely everybody who is finding inducted this yr all the incredibly most effective and so hopefully they can definitely enjoy and celebrate their fantastic achievements.”

Hewitt, 40, was elected to the Class of 2021 alongside with the trailblazing ‘Original 9’, who laid the groundwork for the women’s professional tour, and very long-time mentor Dennis Van der Meer who will inducted posthumously possessing passed away in 2019.

Croatia’s Goran Ivanisevic and Spaniard Conchita Martinez, former players who were voted in as the Course of 2020, will also be honoured at the July ceremony after last year’s festivities were being named off simply because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto Editing by Ken Ferris