NEW YORK, July 22, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Former Wimbledon champion Michael
Stich said it was the “special moments” more than match results that he
remembered Saturday as he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of
Fame.
Stich and 14-time Grand Slam doubles champion Helena Sukova of Czech
Republic were inducted in ceremonies in Newport, Rhode Island, during the ATP
grass court tournament.
Stich won his only Grand Slam singles crown at Wimbledon in 1991, downing
countryman Boris Becker in straight sets in the final. He was a runner-up at
the 1994 US Open, falling to Andre Agassi, and in the 1996 French Open,
losing to Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
Former world number two Stich partnered with Becker to win the 1992
Barcelona Olympic men’s doubles crown and joined American John McEnroe to
claim the 1992 Wimbledon men’s doubles title.
Now tournament director of the ATP German Open in Hamburg, Stich won 18
career singles titles in 31 finals before retiring in 1997.
“But it’s just those special moments, occasions that I remember more than
match results or scores I have achieved,” an emotional Stich said. “It’s not
so much about the special result or a special score that I’ve achieved —
it’s about the overall view on this sport.”
Sukova, a women’s world doubles number one for 68 weeks, captured nine
Grand Slam women’s doubles crowns and five mixed doubles titles. Her doubles
trophy haul included four women’s and three mixed at Wimbledon, one each at
the French Open, two women’s and a mixed at the US Open and two women’s at
the Australian Open.
In singles, Sukova reached as high as fourth in the world and reached the
finals twice each at the US and Australian Opens. She captured 10 singles
titles as well as 69 career doubles crowns before retiring in 1998.