Home » TIMag.com news » Awards » Slobodan Zivojinovic to be Honored

Slobodan Zivojinovic to be Honored

NEWPORT, R.I. — The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and International Tennis Federation (ITF) have announced that Slobodan Zivojinovic will be honored with the 2010 Davis Cup Award of Excellence. Presentation of the award will be made on Saturday, December 4 during a special on-court ceremony at the 2010 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Final between Serbia and France at the Belgrade Arena in Belgrade, Serbia.

Presenting this prestigious award to Zivojinovic will be ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti and Geoff Pollard, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum Board of Directors.

“Slobodan was at the heart of his nation’s Davis Cup success for many years, and remains a great ambassador for tennis as President of the Serbia Tennis Federation,” said ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti. “We are pleased to recognize his contributions on and off the court with the Davis Cup Award of Excellence.”

The Davis Cup Award of Excellence was developed to recognize the importance of Davis Cup by honoring individuals who best represent the ideals of the competition’s founder, Dwight Davis. It is presented annually by the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and ITF to a member of a past or present Davis Cup team, who is from the country/region where the Final is being held.

Zivojinovic was an integral member of the Yugoslavian Davis Cup team for more than a decade, representing his nation for 12 consecutive years between 1981 - 1992. He led the team to the semifinals in 1988, 1989 and 1991, compiling an overall Davis Cup win-loss record of 36-26. A former Top 20 ranked player, Zivojinovic won two singles and eight doubles titles, and was a semifinalist at both Wimbledon and the Australian Open. He has since gone on to become president of the Serbia Tennis Federation.

“Having served as a leader on court during his Davis Cup years and now as the President of the Serbia Tennis Federation, Slobodan has played an important role in the global development of tennis, and he is very deserving of this honor,” said Christopher E. Clouser, chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum.

The Davis Cup Award of Excellence was inaugurated in 2001 by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the ITF. Past recipients are Manuel Orantes of Spain in 2009; Guillermo Vilas (1991 Hall of Famer) of Argentina in 2008; Stan Smith (1987 Hall of Famer) of the United States in 2007; Alex Metreveli of Russia in 2006; Miloslav Mecir of Slovak Republic and Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia in 2005; Manolo Santana (1984 Hall of Famer) of Spain in 2004; John Newcombe (1986 Hall of Famer) of Australia in 2003; Pierre Darmon of France in 2002; and Neale Fraser (1984 Hall of Famer) of Australia in 2001.

Posted on December 3, 2010
Permalink