Woodbridge/Woodforde Elected To Tennis Hall Of Fame

© Getty ImagesMark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge captured 61 team titles.

The legendary Australian doubles team of Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, winners of 61 ATP doubles and 14 Grand Slam championships, has been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be held on 10 July, 2010, during the final weekend of the Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, an ATP World Tour 250 grass-court tournament in Newport.

The newly elected Class of 2010 also includes Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva, who won 38 titles together; 12-time Grand Slam tournament champion Owen Davidson; and Brad Parks, the pioneering founder of wheelchair tennis. Derek Hardwick, past chairman of the British Lawn Tennis Association who was instrumental in the transition to the Open Era, will be inducted posthumously. 

"In recognition of their competitions and contributions, the Class of 2010 is a tribute to the game of doubles and to wheelchair tennis. The Recent Players and Master Player achieved an incredible record of doubles wins. In the Contributor Category, we are pleased to honor individuals who led two important evolutions of the game through the creation of wheelchair tennis and the initiation of the Open Era," said Christopher Clouser, chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. "We are delighted to honor these professionals who have truly earned a place in the Hall of Fame."

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Inclusive of the Class of 2010, the International Tennis Hall of Fame has honored 218 tennis legends representing 19 different countries.

Together Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, known as "The Woodies," earned a record 61 ATP doubles titles, including 11 majors. They were the first team to win five straight Wimbledon titles, and the only team in the Open Era to win at least one Grand Slam doubles title for six consecutive years. Their 11 Grand Slam titles as a team are an Open Era success story, and are second only to John Newcombe / Tony Roche's record of 12. The duo was named ATP Top Doubles Team five times (1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000). The Woodies won two Olympic Medals - Doubles Gold (1996) and Doubles Silver (2000), and were hailed as the Australian Davis Cup's "Best Doubles Team" with a record of 14-2. In addition, both Woodbridge and Woodforde held singles rankings within the top 20.

Todd Woodbridge OAM (Sydney, Australia), age 38, currently holds the ATP record for most doubles titles (83) in Open Era history. He spent 204 weeks at No. 1 throughout his career. With a career doubles record of 782-260, Woodbridge reached the doubles finals of 31 professional tournaments. He holds the Australian Davis Cup record for the most years played (14 years); most doubles wins (25); and was a member of the winning team in 1999 and 2003.

Mark Woodforde OAM (Adelaide, Australia), age 43, holds 67 doubles titles, 4 singles titles and 5 mixed doubles crowns. He held down the No. 1 ranking for 84 weeks during his career and upon retirement in December 2000, he was holding the No. 1 individual ranking plus the No. 1 team ranking with Woodbridge. As a ten-year member of the Australian Davis Cup team (1988, 1989, 1993 - 2000), he participated in three finals (1993, 1999, 2000), helping clinch the trophy in 1999. Woodforde won each leg of the Grand Slams in men's doubles as well as in mixed doubles.

Owen Davidson, age 65 (Melbourne, Australia), is one of just 12 people who have won a personal Grand Slam in the history of tennis. His 15-year career is highlighted by 12 Grand Slam titles. His partnerships with Lesley Turner Bowrey and Billie Jean King produced a personal Grand Slam in 1967, as Davidson captured the Australian, French, US Championships and Wimbledon. "Davo", as he is known, went on to win the Australian Open Doubles with Ken Rosewall in 1972, and the US Open doubles with John Newcombe in 1973.  Davidson won the mixed doubles at Wimbledon and the US Championships/Open four times at each tournament. His four Wimbledon triumphs made him the male player who won the most mixed doubles crowns at the All England Club.

Davidson was a valued member of five championship Australian Davis Cup teams from 1962 - 1967. A career singles highlight came in 1966 at the Wimbledon semi-finals, when he narrowly lost a thrilling five-set match to eventual champion Manolo Santana. With his whipping southpaw serve, Davidson, age 65, is an active competitor on the senior tour.