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David HallAustralian wheelchair tennis legend David Hall will be inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame during Australian Open 2015.

At a special ceremony during the tournament, Hall will unveil a bronze bust in his likeness, which will join the statues of other Australian tennis greats in Melbourne Park’s Garden Square.

It has been a year of accolades for Hall, who last month was also nominated for the International Tennis Hall of Fame for his achievements in wheelchair tennis.

The winner of a staggering nine Australian Opens, eight US Opens and seven British Opens, Hall is one of the most accomplished wheelchair tennis players in history.

The 44-year-old was today thrilled to learn of his impending induction.

“It is a wonderful honour, especially considering the rich history Australian tennis has had over the years,” Hall said.

“To be thought of as being a small part of that history is very humbling for me. Tennis has given me more than I could ever repay and for that I will always be grateful.”

Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Hall began playing wheelchair tennis at age 19, three years after losing his legs after being hit by a car.

He went on to enjoy a stellar career, completing six seasons atop the world rankings throughout the 1990s and 2000s and triumphing at least once at every major tournament in the sport, finishing his career with 19 Super Series crowns.

His success extends to the Paralympic Games; at Sydney in 2000 he won gold in the singles, then claimed silver at Athens in 2004.

The Australian helped lead his country to four World Team Cups and won two NEC Singles Masters titles, in 2002 and 2004.

He was also adept in doubles, becoming world No.1 for the first time in 1994 and finishing his career with an impressive 397-89 win-loss record.

Since retiring in 2006 Hall has dedicated himself to promoting wheelchair tennis. He is the Optus Australia Wheelchair Ambassador and also sits on the selection panel for Australia’s Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability as part of the Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards.

He mentors athletes within the New South Wales Wheelchair Tennis program, and in 2010 was appointed a Wheelchair Tennis Ambassador by the International Tennis Federation.

He later teamed with long-time coach Rich Berman to produce the instructional video Let’s Roll – Learning Wheelchair Tennis with the Pros, which was released in 2013 as a resource for new players to the sport.

Hall was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2001 and inducted into the New South Wales Hall of Champions in 2009 and Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2010.

By Tennis Australia
Posted: 9/10/14