Description
Esther Vergeer's career accomplishments and statistics are mind-boggling: 42 Grand Slam titles, 407-match win streak in singles until her retirement, 668 weeks at world No. 1. Her story of illness as a child, to discovering tennis and shattering records, stands unique amongst the sport's legends.
With Blair Henley, Esther details how she became an athlete after becoming paralyzed at age 8 and set her sights early on becoming a Paralympian. Once she reached the top, she continuously found ways to remain motivated and find a new edge, working with legendary coach Sven Groeneveld to make each other better. Esther shares her story of motherhood, induction into the Hall of Fame and her steadfast mission to grow exposure for disability sports in the Netherlands and beyond.
Esther Vergeer is a 21-time major champion in singles and doubles, seven-time Paralympic gold medalist, and winner of 169 singles titles in her career. In 2023, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She is the tournament director of the ABN AMRO Open, Chef de Mission for Team Netherlands, and the founder of the Esther Vergeer Foundation, which provides young people with physical disabilities and chronic conditions the opportunity to exercise regularly, like any other child. The Foundation aims to strengthen self-confidence and self-reliance in participants through sport.
It's a special edition of the TennisWorthy Podcast, today from Newport, Rhode Island on Induction Day.
Host Brett Haber sat down with a trio of Hall of Famers: Kim Clijsters, Tracy Austin and Stan Smith. They reminisced about their own inductions, shared their fond thoughts on the Class of 2024 -...
Published 07/21/24
Argentina's Gabriela Sabatini was a rising star as a junior, and she lived up to her early expectations. After becoming the youngest player to ever win the Orange Bowl (at age 13), she reached the semifinals of the French Open and the top 10 of the WTA rankings two years later. It wasn't all...
Published 05/28/24