NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten has been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
The lanky Brazilian nicknamed “Guga” reached No. 1 in the ATP rankings and collected singles titles at Roland Garros in 1997, 2000 and 2001.
He showed up at the 1997 French Open unheralded, unknown and 66th in the rankings, but wound up being the second-lowest-ranked man to win a Grand Slam championship.
Kuerten was awarded the ATP World Tour’s Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award in 2003.
Kuerten’s election was announced Thursday. Other new Hall of Fame members include 1975 U.S. Open champion Manuel Orantes, administrator and promoter Mike Davies, and the late wheelchair player Randy Snow.
The 2012 class will be inducted on July 14.
