The ITF World Champions Dinner is an annual event that takes place in Paris during the Roland Garros fortnight. In 2012, it was held at the Pavillon d'Armenonville on 5 June.
The celebration brings together over 400 members of the tennis family to honour the ITF World Champions, who are recognised for their outstanding performance from the previous year.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova scooped the top men's and women's singles awards after their performances during the 2011 season, while the best doubles teams, juniors and wheelchair players were also commended.
Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain was presented with the ITF’s highest accolade, the Philippe Chatrier Award, for her outstanding contributions to the sport, while the first ever Award for Outstanding Achievement in Seniors Tennis was presented to Lorne Main of Canada.
The 81-year-old former Davis Cup player has won a total of 39 seniors world championships in singles, doubles and team events, making him the most successful player in the history of ITF Seniors Tennis.
Philippe Chatrier Award
The Philippe Chatrier Award is named after the late former French player, who dedicated his life to tennis. After his playing career ended, he went on to become a journalist and then the President of both the International Tennis Federation and French Tennis Federation. He also served as France's Davis Cup captain.
The Philippe Chatrier Award is presented to someone who has given long and outstanding service to the game. Stefan Edberg was the first person to be honoured in 1996 and there have now been a total of 16 recipients. That list includes technology giants NEC in 2001, the year that marked the company's 20 year sponsorship of Davis Cup.
Arantxa Sanchez Vicario is the latest recipient of the Philippe Chatrier Award for her achievements in all forms of tennis, and as tennis’s greatest Fed Cup and Olympic ambassador.
The Spaniard was just 17 when she won her first Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros, and went on to capture two more Roland Garros titles in 1994 and 1998, and the US Open in 1994. She also won six Grand Slam women’s doubles and four mixed doubles titles.
Sanchez Vicario became the first Spanish player in history be ranked No. 1 when she reached the top spot in February 1995. She also became only the second woman after Martina Navratilova to reach No. 1 in singles and doubles at the same time. In total, she won 29 singles and 69 career doubles titles.
In Fed Cup, Sanchez Vicario holds the record for the most total wins by any player. Alongside Conchita Martinez, she led Spain to five Fed Cup titles in 1991, 1993-95 and 1998, and to five other finals. She won 72 singles and doubles matches in 58 ties during a 15-year span.
As an Olympian, the Spaniard is the only female tennis player to compete in five Olympic Games and has won four medals: singles bronze and doubles silver at Barcelona 1992, and singles silver and doubles bronze at Atlanta 1996.
Now a mother of two, Sanchez Vicario has been involved in the charity Fundacion SOS, helping children in Africa, since her retirement in 2005. She returned to tennis at the start of 2012 as Spain’s new Fed Cup captain.
Sanchez Vicario received the Philippe Chatrier Award at the ITF World Champions Dinner, held in Paris on 5 June 2012.
Honour roll
- 2012: Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (ESP)
- 2011: Guy Forget (FRA)
- 2010: Gustavo Kuerten (BRA)
- 2009: Martina Navratilova (USA)
- 2008: Neale Fraser (AUS)
- 2007: John McEnroe (USA)
- 2006: Margaret Court (AUS)
- 2005: Tony Trabert (USA)
- 2004: Yannick Noah (FRA)
- 2003: Billie Jean King (USA)
- 2002: Jack Kramer (USA)
- 2001: NEC
- 2000: Juan Antonio Samaranch (ESP)
- 1999: Nicola Pietrangeli (ITA)
- 1998: Rod Laver (AUS)
- 1997: Chris Evert (USA)
- 1996: Stefan Edberg (SWE)