Following historic title runs in Melbourne, Australian Open 2022 champions Ashleigh Barty and Rafael Nadal have donated pieces of their historic victories to the International Tennis Hall of Fame (International Tennis Hall of Fame). The two kits, worn during Grand Slam competition, have arrived in Newport, Rhode Island, where they are on display in the museum and are now part of the ITHF’s permanent collection.
Barty, who became the first Australian woman to win her home major since Chris O’Neil in 1978, gave away a FILA kit and a pair of shoes before announcing her retirement from professional tennis earlier this month. Nadal broke the men’s Grand Slam record by capturing his 21st career title in Melbourne, achieving a career double Slam in the process. His autographed Nike kit, headband and wristband now sit alongside Barty’s memorabilia in the ITHF Museum’s Grand Slam gallery. As part of the ITHF permanent collection, the Barty and Nadal gifts will be photographed and archived for future use in digital exhibits and educational content.
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historical victories
“These donations from Ash Barty and Rafa Nadal represent two of the most memorable victories in the history of our sport. His titles at the Australian Open were emblematic of much of what makes tennis great, showing perseverance, national pride and sportsmanship.”said ITHF CEO Todd Martin. “We are excited to preserve those inspiring moments, and grateful to Ash and Rafa for recognizing the importance of the ITHF’s mission to inspire future generations through sharing the best stories in the game.”.
By defeating Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5, Nadal completed one of the greatest single-match comebacks in the history of the sport to capture his second World Cup crown. Australian Open. The Spaniard broke the 20-title tie he had previously held with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic to become the all-time Grand Slam men’s record holder. Nadal joined the ranks of Djokovic and Hall of Famers Roy Emerson and Rod Laver to become the fourth man in history to win all four Slams twice.
With a straight sets win over Danielle Collins in the final, Barty cemented her place atop the WTA rankings and in the record books with her third major singles title. She became the eighth woman to win a title on three different surfaces, along with the 2019 Roland Garros title and the 2021 Wimbledon title. The Australian Open would prove to be her last tournament, as the world number one announced her retirement at early March. With three singles Slams, one doubles Slam and 121 weeks at the top of the rankings on his resumeBarty automatically qualifies for inclusion on the ITHF consecration ballot in 2027.
The Barty and Nadal items join recent donations from 2021 US Open champions Medvedev and Emma Raducanu, who gifted a racket and kit, respectively, to the ITHF following their victories in September. Fans and visitors can plan their trip to see these artifacts at the ITHF Museum and learn more about the preservation process at www.tennisfame.com/museum-and-grounds/the-museum.