Thomas Bach named 2026 World Tennis Philippe Chatrier Award winner
World Tennis has announced that Thomas Bach is this year’s winner of the prestigious Philippe Chatrier Award.
The Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will receive the honour at the 2026 World Tennis Champions Awards, presented by UNIQLO, taking place at the Victoria and Albert Museum this evening.
Bach is being recognised with the global governing body's highest honour for his longstanding support and advocacy for the sport through the Olympic Movement.
Named after former World Tennis President Philippe Chatrier, the award was established in 1996 and is presented to individuals or organisations who have made exceptional contributions to tennis on and off the court.
Previous recipients include Stan Smith, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Rod Laver, Martina Navratilova, Gabriela Sabatini, Juan Antionio Samaranch and Esther Vergeer.
"I would like to thank World Tennis and its President David Haggerty for this prestigious award," said Bach. "Receiving this Philippe Chatrier Award is very emotional for me.
“Tennis has played a very important role throughout my life. As a passionate junior tennis player following in the footsteps of my mother, as a great fan of the shining stars of tennis of my generation, as a partner of many prominent players when having been Promotion Director of adidas, as a longtime good friend of Philippe Chatrier and finally, as IOC President, being able to offer to this wonderful sport the place it deserves at the Olympic Games."
World Tennis President David Haggerty added: "We are delighted to present Thomas Bach with this year's World Tennis Philippe Chatrier Award. During his twelve years as President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas recognised the importance of tennis within the Olympics and the special role our sport plays in inspiring people around the world.
"Beyond the Games, he has shown a genuine passion for tennis, regularly engaging with our athletes and remaining closely connected to the sport throughout his presidency. It is especially fitting that Thomas receives the award that bears Philippe Chatrier's name.
"Having known and worked with Philippe, who spearheaded tennis’s return to the Olympic Games, Thomas ensured an enduring partnership between tennis and the Olympic Movement. We are delighted to recognise his contribution with this honour."
Thomas Bach represented Germany as a fencer, winning gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games before combining a legal career with his growing involvement in the Olympic Movement. In 2013, he became the first Olympic champion to be elected President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), serving in the role for 12 years.
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Throughout his presidency, Bach was a strong supporter of tennis and wheelchair tennis. The Olympic Games, alongside the Paralympics is an unmatched global platform for the sport. They provide the ultimate showcase for tennis and inspiration for people to watch and play. They also provide vital funding for World Tennis to carry out its mission of growing the game around the world.
A tennis player in his youth, his love of the game grew during the era of Steffi Graf and Boris Becker, reinforcing his belief in the power of sport to inspire people and change lives. He regularly attended major tournaments, engaged with athletes and presented Olympic tennis medals.
Bach brought with him a fresh perspective that recognised the vital role of athletes in shaping sport, working to integrate athletes into IOC leadership and create opportunities for the next generation. He also championed greater diversity across the IOC, overseeing an increase in female representation during his tenure while promoting good governance and helping ensure the future of sport is inclusive, fair and free from discrimination.
As well as celebrating Thomas Bach, the World Tennis Champions Awards will honour the 2025 World Tennis Champions. Selected by World Tennis using objective year end performance criteria, the awards recognise the players who made the greatest impact across men’s, women’s, juniors and wheelchair competition during the 2025 season.
The singles champions are Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka; the doubles champions are Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos, and Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini; the wheelchair champions are Tokito Oda, Yui Kamiji and Niels Vink; and the junior champions are Ivan Ivanov and Kristina Penickova.