This weekend, the International Tennis Hall of Fame will enshrine the Class of 2023, which includes wheelchair tennis legends Esther Vergeer and Rick Draney.
Hall of Fame: Meet the Inductees
In celebration of Enshrinement Weekend, we look back at five emotional moments from the past 20 years in Newport.
Jana Novotna
After being introduced by Tony Trabert, Jana Novotna took to the podium and saw a small white towel. Her fellow inductee, Butch Bucholz, joked that he left it for her. Bud Collins quipped, "It's a team crying towel."
Novotna did not miss a beat. "It's good to know that it's OK to cry," she said.
Hall of Fame: Jana Novotna, the sentimental favorite
Inducted in 2005, the 1988 Wimbledon champion recalled the indelible moment her tears had left on the sport. After recounting her unlikely journey to the Hall of Fame, she saved her tears for her family before sharing a long hug with her mother.
"I'm proud to have achieved success for my country, for myself, and most importantly, with all my love and affection, I dedicate this award to my mother," Novotna said. "Her love, support, and encouragement, even when illness almost too her life, was and always will be a constant inspiration for me."
Monica Seles
A winner of nine major singles titles, Monica Seles was inducted in 2009. "Standing here, I'm just a bundle of nerves," Seles said, after being introduced by her mentor and friends Betsy Nagelsen McCormack and Mary Joe Fernandez. "So excuse me if I take my time a bit. I know I usually speak very fast."
Hall of Fame: Monica Seles, heart of a champion
Over 15 minutes, the former No.1 spoke from the heart and graciously and methodically thanked all the people who stood by her through her entire career. From her family to her racquet sponsors, from the Hologic WTA Tour to her fans, Seles' induction was disarmingly warm and earnest, full of the charm that made her an irresistible fan favorite.
Pam Shriver
"A little more than 40 years ago, this little - but long - girl was born," Martina Navratilova said as she introduced Pam Shriver in 2002. "And when the doctor slapped her on the back, she slapped him right back.
"She realized, 'Hey, that was a pretty good forehand volley. I think I will on that and make something of myself.' And she did just that."
Hall of Fame: Pam Shriver, double trouble
Apropos of one of the game's greatest doubles players, Shriver's induction was about partnerships. A winner of 111 doubles titles and one-half of the greatest doubles team of all time, Shriver's induction bore her trademark blend of self-effacing humor and heartfelt gratitude.
Speaking on her late sister, Marion, Shriver choked back the tears. "Marion was two years older me, a schoolteacher, and my roommate during the best years of my tennis career," she said. "And while you can be blessed with a new mate, you can never be blessed again with an older sibling. And I truly miss Marion."
Jennifer Capriati
Jennifer Capriati's induction provided closure and reconciliation for the American great. "I left the game earlier than I expected, earlier than I wanted to, and because of this, I wasn't able to leave the game on my terms," she said. "I was not able to thank everyone who had such a positive impact on my life."
Hall of Fame: Jennifer Capriati, the teen phenom
"I knew [with this honor] I would be able to pay tribute to the game I love and always think about. I would also be able to acknowledge and embrace what my blood, sweat, tears, determination, and heart have brought me. I would be able to remember who I am again and give me a voice again, my one voice, the true voice."
It was particularly fitting that Capriati was introduced by her former teenage rival and fellow Hall of Famer, Monica Seles.
"We both started so young, we were both tennis prodigies, we both faced many challenges on and off the court," Capriati said. "We both became champions under extreme pressure and expectation, not once, but twice.
"Not only did we become champions, but I feel like we set the bar high and really were a part of transforming the game into what it is today. There is an unspoken bond I will always have with you. We fought each other hard but look at where we are now."
The Original 9
Fifty years after changing the course of professional tennis and creating a pathway for professional women's sports, the Original 9 -- Billie Jean King, Rosie Casals, Nancy Richie, Judy Dalton, Kerry Melville, Julie Heldman, Peaches Bartkowicz, Valerie Ziegenfuss and Kristie Pigeon -- were finally inducted in 2021, becoming the first group to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
"To my warriors who stood tall and invincible so long ago so women's tennis could be what it's become, the showcase for women's sports, one last time I am proud to stand with them and before all of you as a humble believer that anything is possible if women stand together as we were and still are," said Casals.
In their own words: The Original 9 take Newport
In 1970, the Original 9 risked their tennis careers to sign one-dollar contracts to play the Virginia Slims Invitational in Houston, Texas. That tournament would expand into a full circuit that would eventually become the Hologic WTA Tour.
With the Original 9's induction, Enshrinement Weekend became a raucous celebration of women's tennis, with seven of the nine present in Newport and Judy Dalton joining remotely from Australia.
