The International Tennis Federation chose Swiss superstar Roger Federer and Belgian ace Justine Henin-Hardenne as their 2006 World Champions. This is Roger’s third consecutive year winning this honor; Justine won it previously in 2003. Both Federer and Henin-Hardenne finished the tennis season as number one in the world, competing in all four of the Grand Slam finals. Ironically, Federer’s only Grand Slam loss came at the French Open, which was Henin-Hardenne’s only Grand Slam win in 2006.
Bob and Mike Bryan, American twins, are the International Tennis Federation’s men’s double world champions; Lisa Raymond (US) and Samantha Stosur (Australia) are the ITF women’s double world champions. Thiemo de Bakker of Holland is the boy’s world champion and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia is the girl’s world champion. The ITF Awards ceremony will take place in Paris at the French Open on June 5, 2007.
Though Henin-Hardenne led the WTA Tour this year with six titles, Mauresmo beat H-H in both the Australian Open and Wimbledon finals. Henin-Hardenne also lost to Mauresmo in total number of votes for the International Tennis Writers’ Association’s Player of the Year Award. The ITWA chose Roger Federer and Amelie Mauresmo as Player of the Year, voting them the sport’s best ambassadors. This is Roger’s third successive year selected; it is Amelie’s first such honor. Mauresmo won this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon, as well as the hearts of fans and journalists.
Yeah–kind of unjust to pick H-H over Mauresmo. She finally overcame after all those years to win not one but TWO majors. Really a slight.