Four tennis legends nominated for Hall of Fame: Who should make the Class of 2027?

In terms of tennis achievements, having your name appear in the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITFH) is as good as it gets. This coveted group are celebrated for their achievements in the sport, on and off the court, with the Class of 2027 nominees having been named.

Ashleigh Barty, Juan Martín del Potro, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and Shingo Kunieda are the names that will be hoping to be inducted in the special group. Players and other contributors have been recognised for their efforts over the years with it located in in Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Founded in 1954, 272 representatives from 28 countries stand tall and proud with their legacies in the sport towering over others. Roger Federer and Mary Carillo were the latest pair to be inducted, and soon it will be time to add another few.

The process to find the next ITHF inductees begins with eligible figures who fit the specific guidelines being put forward. A panel would then single out the standout candidates before they are put to a vote. Normally a 75% threshold is implemented for them to get in. Fans also get the chance to vote.

Finally, the successful candidates are formally inducted at a ceremony in Newport. A special and emotional day for all involved, it will soon be the time for the likes of Barty, del Potro, Kuznetsova and Kunieda to possibly get in.

It is sensational to think that Barty's career could have even been more outstanding if she did not make the surprising decision to retire at the top of her game at the age of 25. The Aussie stood as the World No.1 for a staggering 121 weeks, winning an abundance of accolades and titles in her time competing at the highest level.

The hype truly surrounded her, not in singles at first, but in doubles. In 2018, she won the US Open alongside Coco Vandeweghe while clinching three WTA 1000 titles that season, with a fourth coming in 2019. That was the year where her singles career really took off.

She put her name on the map after winning the Miami Open before defeating Marketa Vondrousova in the Roland Garros final to break new ground. She would culminate the year by defeating the reigning champion Elina Svitolina at the WTA Finals, finishing 2019 and 2020 as World No.1.

2021 was her flexing her muscles. Five titles were won, including a second major title at Wimbledon and two more WTA 1000 triumphs at Miami and Cincinnati. The ability to compete at the highest level on all three surfaces made her a huge threat and a deadly competitor.

At the start of 2022, Barty lived her dream on home soil. Danielle Collins was defeated in straight sets as she won the Australian Open in a hugely triumphant day for Aussie tennis. It proved to be her last ever tennis match, retiring a couple of months later. In such a short timespan, she propeled herself to the top of the WTA elite and was the dominant force for a good few years. She leaves behind a glorious legacy that many would struggle to get even close, and that makes her a very strong contender for the ITHF.

Back in 2009, a 20-year-old del Potro was making a name for himself on the ATP Tour. After racking up an already very impressive trophy haul, he reached the final of the US Open, defeating Rafael Nadal while dropping just six games. He then stunned the five-time reigning champion Federer in a thrilling five-set upset to end the dominance of the Swiss in New York and upset the ATP hierarchy in the process.

He is the most recent South American player to win a singles Grand Slam title and the last outside of Europe on the men's side. His potential was clear as day following his teenage breakthrough, but what would be well documented in his tennis career was his persistence to continue battling on and fighting his way back up the order as the injury issues started to mount.

This proved hugely damaging to his career, but there were standout moments. In 2026, he defeated both Novak Djokovic and Nadal to reach the Olympics final, having to settle for silver against Andy Murray. He continued to represent his country proudly, leading Argentina to Davis Cup glory that same year.

Another injury problem was overcome in a special 2018 campaign. He rolled back the years to reach the US Open final, but Djokovic got his revenge. He did climb to a career high World No.3, testament to the hard work put in away from the court. Injury issues soon caught up with him again and forced him to retire.

In total, 22 ATP titles from 35 finals were won, with the 2009 US Open and 2018 Indian Wells successes the most notable. However, he endeared himself with the fans for his repeated comebacks while consistently challenging the top players in the world when he was at his fittest.

Kuznetsova can boast world class CVs in both singles and doubles tennis, boosting her claim to be entered in the ITHF. She broke onto the scene as a 19-year-old at Flushing Meadows, defeating Lindsay Davenport in straight sets for the first of two Grand Slam titles.

The second came after a five-year wait. In a completely different scenery, Dinara Safina was taken down as she won Roland Garros. It made up for the heartbreak of Paris in 2006 and New York in 2007 against Justine Henin.

She won a grand total of 18 singles titles. Two were Grand Slam, and two also came at WTA 1000 level from 13 finals spanning from 2006 to 2019. While the results were not she would have wanted, it shows the incredible longevity she had at the top of the sport.

Moving onto doubles, it took some time before she got over the line at major level in terms of finals won. From the 2003 US Open, she reached lost in four of the next five finals. Her persistence paid off at the Australian Open in 2005. She made it a round two seven years later in Melbourne once more.

Kuznetsova reached 31 doubles finals, winning 16 of them. A former No.3 in this category, she reached a high of World No.2 in singles back in 2007. Her contribution to Russian tennis should also not go under the radar, helping them win three Fed Cup titles.

Widely considered the greatest male wheelchair player of all time, Kunieda's stats are absolutely ridiculous. He won a grand total of 50 major titles in singles and doubles between 2007 and 2022. This tallies up to 28 in singles and 22 in doubles, an unbelievable record that may never be touched.

He completed the Career Grand Slam, winning all four Grand Slam titles in singles and doubles while finally getting his hands on the elusive Wimbledon title in 2022, completing the Career Golden Slam having won three Paralympic gold medals in singles and a fourth in doubles.

In total, 117 titles were won by the Japanese, proving his dominance could be replicated away from the major arena. He was named as ITF champion 10 times, is the only wheelchair tennis player to win a medal at five consecutive Paralympic Games and spent an unthinkable 582 weeks as No.1 in the rankings.

He announced his retirement at the end of 2023, still the dominant force in wheelchair tennis but culminating it on a high. No one in the men's game has come close to the achievements Kunieda has listed next to his name. His longevity plays in his favour and is represented by his huge trophy haul. He is a leading light in the world of wheelchair tennis, and like the other three nominees would be a worthy name in the ITHF.