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Andres Gomez Deserves To Be In Hall Of Fame
2 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
By Scoop Malinowski
Michael Chang and Gabriela Sabatini were both nominated and inducted into the Hall of Fame. Andres Gomez of Ecuador has actually achieved more than both Chang and Sabatini but he is not in the Hall of Fame. Why?
Gomez turned pro in 1979 at age 19 and became world no. 1 in doubles in 1986, the year he won his first Grand Slam title at US Open with Slobodan Zivojinovic against Hall of Famer Mats Wilander and Joakim Nystrom 46 63 63 46 63.
In 1988 Gomez won a second Grand Slam title at French Open with Emilio Sanchez versus Anders Jarryd and John Fitzgerald 63 67 64 63.
The pinnacle of Gomez’s career came in 1990 when he won the French Open by beating Hall of Famer Andre Agassi in the final 63 26 64 64. Later that year Gomez achieved his career best ranking of no. 4.
Overall, Gomez won 21 singles titles in his career and 33 more in doubles.
Let’s compare the numbers of Gomez to Chang and Sabatini…
Chang won one Grand Slam title – 1987 French Open, 34 singles titles, 0 in doubles, best ranking was no. 2. Chang was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2008.
Sabatini won one Grand Slam title in singles at US Open 1990 and one more in doubles at Wimbledon 1988. She won 27 singles and 24 doubles titles. Best ranking was no. 3. Sabatini was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006.
So it’s evident Andres Gomez has achieved more in pro tennis than Chang and Sabatini but for some inexplicable reason he is not in the Hall of Fame. Is Gomez the casualty of an oversight? Or some kind of bias against South American tennis?
Another Hall of Famer also believes Gomez should be inducted in Newport. When I tweeted to Jimmy Connors that both Vitas Gerulaitis and Andres Gomez should both be in Newport, the nine-time Grand Slam tweeted back, “I AGREE!!!”
Time to right the wrong, fix the mistake. Andres Gomez deserves to be nominated and inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI sooner than later.
Andres Gomez · Ecuador · French Open · Hall of Fame · US Open
Marcela A. · November 15, 2023 at 5:07 pm
Long overdue. It’s never too late to do what’s right.
Nominate and induct Andrés Gomez to Newport. He belongs in the ITHF.
Period.
Scoop Malinowski · November 16, 2023 at 11:42 am
Hi Marcela. I think every tennis fan and media would agree.