Clijsters, Roddick joining International Tennis Hall of Fame

Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters
AP Photo

MELBOURNE, Australia — Kim Clijsters and Andy Roddick have been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Clijsters, a Belgian, won four Grand Slam singles titles — the U.S. Open in 2005, 2009 and 2010, and the Australian Open in 2011 — along with two major doubles titles.

"I think to be inducted in the Tennis Hall of Fame obviously means you've done something really well in tennis, but also that you are respected by your fellow tennis players who are already in that position, and I feel very honored," Clijsters said in a video message posted to the Hall of Fame Twitter account.

Roddick's 2003 U.S. Open championship makes him the most recent American man to win a Grand Slam singles trophy. He also reached the final at Wimbledon in 2004, 05 and '09 and the U.S. Open in '06.

"One of the biggest honors of my life," Roddick said. "I'm moved to know that my presence in the sport will be forever part of tennis history."

Roddick was ranked No. 1 for 13 weeks before Roger Federer gained the top ranking in February 2004 and held it for 237 consecutive weeks.

Also in the Class of 2017 announced by the hall on Monday: wheelchair tennis player Monique Kalkman-van den Bosch, tennis historian and journalist Steve Flink, and the late instructor Vic Braden.

Roddick, Kalkman-van den Bosch and Flink were scheduled to participate in a ceremony at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

The full class will be inducted at the hall on July 22.

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