TENNIS – The ITF has announced that World Number 1 players Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are the 2014 ITF World Champions. Djokovic has been named Men’s World Champion for the fourth time in his career. Williams has claimed this honour for the fifth time. US doubles twins Mike and Bob Bryan have been name ITF Doubles World Champions for the 11th time in 12 years. Italian close friends Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci have been honoured as ITF Doubles World Champions for the third time in a row. Diego Sampaolo
The ITF selection is based on the results during the year, but gives a special weight to the Grand Slams, the Davis Cup and the Fed Cup.
The ITF World Champions will receive their awards at the ITF World Champions Dinner during the Roland Garros in Paris.
Novak Djokovic won his seventh Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last July and won seven ATP titles (Indian Wells, Miami, Rome, Wimbledon, Beijing, Paris Bercy and the ATP Finals in London). He reached the final at the Roland Garros where he lost to Rafael Nadal and the semifinal at the US Open. Djokovic joins a list of four players who claimed the ITF World Champion title which includes Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer.
Serena Williams has been named ITF World Champion for the fifth time. She clinched her 18th Grand Slam title at the US Open equalling Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. She won six more titles (Brisbane, Rome, Miami, Cincinnati, Stanford and the WTA Championships in Singapore). Williams has become the oldest player to be named an ITF Singles World Champion
“I am so honoured to be named ITF World Champion for the fifth time. This was a year of challenges and triumphs. To win another Grand Slam and retain my year-end World Number 1 ranking is an accomplishment I am so proud of. I am grateful to have the support of the tennis community. I am looking forward to 2015”, said Serena Williams
Mike and Bob Bryan, who won their 16th Grand Slam and their 100th overall title at the 2014 US Open. The US twins won ten titles in 2014 (Delray Beach, Indian Wells, Miami, Houston, Monte-Carlo, Cincinnati, US Open, Shanghai, Paris Bercy and the ATP World Finals in London) taking their total to 103 ATP titles and finished runner-up to Jack Sock and Vasek Pospisil at Wimbledon .
“The 2014 season was one of our best seasons on tour and it’s one we will fondly remember. We look forward to the awards dinner in Paris and sharing the stage with all the other world champions”, said Mike Bryan
Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci completed the Career Grand Slam by winning at Wimbledon last July. They also won the Australian Open and reached the final at the Roland Garros and finished co-ranked Number 1 on the WTA Doubles Ranking.
“We are happy to be Women’s Doubles World Champions for the third consecutive year. It is a great pleasure and honour to have finished the year as number one in the doubles ranking again. Our goal is to defend the Australian Open and Wimbledon”, said Errani and Vinci.
Catherine Cici Bellis, who grabbed the headlines last summer when she beat Dominica Cibulkova at the US Open at the age of 15, is the second US player to be crowned as the Girls World Champion and the youngest world champion since 2006. She won four singles titles and capped the season with the Orange Bowl title last week. She led the US Junior team to the Fed Cup Junior title
“It was my goal to be the year-end Number 1 from when I started playing in the juniors. I am ecstatic that I was able to reach the milestone as a 15-year-old. It is an honour to be in such a great company with all of the amazing and legendary juniors before me”, said Cici Bellis.
Andrey Rublev won his first Grand Slam Junior title at the Roland Garros and clinched the singles bronze and the doubles silver at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing. He is the first Russian player in any category to be crowned ITF World Champion.
“Serena Williams is one of the toughest competitors of all time. Novak Djokovic’s performances at the biggest events make him a deserving winner. Bob and Mike Bryan’s remarkable achievement is a testament to their continued drive and determination. Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci have shown the importance of teamwork both on and off the court”, said ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti
