In a special ceremony at the Australian Open, it was announced that Michael Stich has been elected for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2018. Hall of Fame induction is the ultimate honour in tennis, indicating that one’s career was among the most accomplished and impactful of all-time.

Since the Hall of Fame’s inception in 1954, just 252 individuals have been honoured, hailing from 23 nations. Stich is the sixth German to be inducted, joining the ranks of Boris Becker, Stefanie Graf, and 1930s tennis greats Barron Gottfried Von Cramm, Hans Nusslein, and Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling.

Joining Michael in the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018 is Czech tennis legend Helena Sukova, a 14-time major champion in doubles and mixed doubles. Stich and Sukova will be officially inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on 21 July, during Hall of Fame Weekend in Newport, Rhode Island.

“Michael’s laser focus and the versatility in his game made him a Wimbledon champion, and today, those skills and accomplishments make him a Hall of Famer,” said Hall of Famer Stan Smith, who also serves as president of the Hall of Fame.

“Being elected into the International Tennis Hall of Fame ensures that their careers and accomplishments will forever be distinguished as being among the greatest in our sport’s history. It’s a well-deserved honour for Helena and Michael, and we look forward to celebrating with them in Newport in July.”

Stich said, “It’s quite an honour to become part of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. 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.”

A versatile player with a full arsenal of skills, Stich achieved a ranking of world No. 2 and became a Wimbledon champion and Olympic gold medalist.

The highlight of Stich’s Hall of Fame career came in 1991 when he won the Wimbledon title, skillfully battling past two former champions and grass-court stars in Stefan Edberg and Becker. A year later, he partnered with John McEnroe to win the doubles title at Wimbledon in a five-hour match that spanned two days. Stich made two more finals appearances at Grand Slam tournaments — at the US Open in 1994 and Roland Garros in 1996.

A skilled player at both the baseline and the net, Stich was successful on all surfaces throughout his career. In 1991 and 1993, he won professional tournaments on all four surfaces.

Stich appeared in 31 finals and won 18 career singles titles, including particularly momentous victories at season-ending events. In the 1992 Grand Slam Cup, Stich defeated Stefan Edberg, Richard Krajicek, Pete Sampras, and Michael Chang to win the title. A year later, he closed the season with wins over Michael Chang, Jim Courier, and Pete Sampras to capture the Nitto ATP Finals title.

Stich was an accomplished representative of Germany throughout his career. At the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, he partnered with Boris Becker to win the Gold Medal in doubles. In 1993 Davis Cup final, he won all three points versus Australia to win the title for Germany.

Today, Stich is the Tournament Director for the German Tennis Championships 2018, an ATP World Tour 500 event in Hamburg. In 1994 he created the Michael Stich Foundation, a robust charity focused on programs aimed at HIV and AIDS awareness, as well as helping children in need.

Class of 2018 Induction Ceremony
The Class of 2018 will be officially inducted on 21 July, during Hall of Fame Weekend at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Tickets for the Induction Ceremony will go on sale on 5 March. In addition, the class will be celebrated in a tribute exhibit in the museum at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, which will open in June and be displayed for one year.

Roger Federer admitted that he sent a text message to Rafael Nadal on Tuesday night following the Spanish superstar’s quarter-final exit to Marin Cilic at the Australian Open.

World No. 1 Nadal retired due to a right leg injury at 0-2 in the fifth set and later said he would undergo an MRI scan in Melbourne on Wednesday.

Federer, speaking after his 7-6(1), 6-3, 6-4 victory over Tomas Berdych for a place in the semi-finals on Wednesday night, told Jim Courier in an on-court interview, “I wrote to Rafa late last night before I went to bed. It was the last thing I did, to make sure he was okay. It was not nice to see a rival and friend go out.

“We wish him well. It’s hard to watch someone go out in five sets and not be able to finish. I think Marin deserves an amazing amount of credit because he hung around and fought really, really hard. It was a massive win for him.”

Read Reaction: Nadal – “An Opportunity Missed”

Nadal issued a statement on Wednesday allaying any long-term injury fears.

“After the painful withdrawal last night at the Australian Open, today I had an MRI here in Melbourne,” Nadal posted on social media. “The results say that I suffer from a Grade 1 injury to the [sic] Psoas Iliac on my right leg.

“As bad as it is to have to retire from the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament, the injury is not so serious. In the next few days I will be in sports rest and perform anti-inflammatory physiotherapy.

“The doctors tell me that in two weeks I will be able to get back on court, progressively resuming my workouts. The normal recovery time is around three weeks so in principle that does not change anything in my calendar and I will play in Acapulco, Indian Wells and Miami.”

Nadal is expected to return to the ATP World Tour on 26 February for the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, where he picked up the 2005 and 2013 trophies.