NEWPORT, R.I. — The International Tennis Hall of Fame has announced its candidates for induction as part of the Class of 2026, with former World No. 2 Svetlana Kuznetsova joining ATP greats Roger Federer and Juan Martin Del Potro on the ballot.

Additionally, esteemed journalist and former player Mary Carillo and men’s tennis administrator Marshall Happer are nominees in the contributor category.

Over a 15-year career, the versatile Kuznetsova captured 18 singles titles, including the US Open in 2004 and Roland Garros in 2009. In those finals, she defeated Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina, respectively, while falling to Justine Henin in the 2006 Paris and 2007 New York finals.

Had she been victorious at Roland Garros in 2008, Kuznetsova would have risen to No. 1,  but fell just two matches short with a semifinal loss to Safina.

In any case, Kuznetsova demonstrated her class by posting seven wins over reigning World No. 1s, the most recent of those being a defeat of Serena Williams at the Miami Open in 2016. She ranked continuously in the Top 20 from March 1, 2004 through July 11, 2010 — including more than four years ranked continuously in the Top 10 (April 2006 to June 2010).

At the WTA 1000 level, Kuznetsova was twice champion at the China Open in Beijing (2006, 2009) and won the Miami Open in 2006. At the 2011 Australian Open, she famously played her part in setting the record for the longest women’s match at a Grand Slam, eventually succumbing to Francesca Schiavone in 4 hours and 44 minutes.

Rising as high as No.3 in doubles, Kuznetsova’s 16 titles included two victories at the Australian Open, partnering Alicia Molik in 2005 and Vera Zvonareva in 2012 and was a member of three champion Billie Jean King Cup sides for Russia.

She was voted the WTA’s Most Impressive Newcomer in 2002, and in 2006 she won the tour’s Jerry Diamond ACES Award for her off-court efforts to promote the game.

Also among the WTA nominees, Carillo was a promising left-hander who rose to No. 33 and won the Roland Garros mixed doubles title with John McEnroe in 1977 before knee injuries cut short her playing career.

Nonetheless, her love of the sport prevailed in the form of an outstanding media career, as well as her much-valued support of “WTA family” events as an emcee over the years.

Starting as an analyst for USA Network in the early 1980s, Carillo became the first woman to regularly commentate on tennis, including men’s matches. Her success paved the way for many other women to enter the field and cover the sport on a regular basis.

Throughout her career, she has covered hundreds of tennis events for major networks like ESPN and NBC, earning multiple awards, including WTA’s “Broadcaster of the Year.” Beyond tennis, she has also covered 16 Olympic Games and served as a correspondent for HBO’s “Real Sports,” earning six Emmy Awards and three Peabody Awards before her induction into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2018.

Joining Carillo in the contributor category, which recognizes true pioneers, visionary leaders or individuals who have made a transcendent impact on the sport, is Marshall Happer, who was responsible for developing the organizational fundamentals that enabled the sport’s growth and future success.

Then there’s Roger Federer, the first male player in tennis history to win 20 major singles titles. The iconic Swiss held the ATP No.1 ranking for an unmatched 237 consecutive weeks, ultimately holding that spot for 310 total weeks through his career. He finished his career with 103 singles titles, second most in the Open Era.

Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro won the US Open in 2009, one of 22 titles captured over the course of his career. In 2016, he led Argentina to its first Davis Cup title and also earned a silver medal in the Olympic singles competition.

Fans around the globe can weigh in on which Player Category nominees are deserving of Hall of Fame induction during ITHF Fan Voting. The polls are open, and tennis fans can cast their ballots through Friday, Oct. 10 at vote.tennisfame.com. With the ballot set, the Official Voting Group comprised of tennis journalists, historians, and Hall of Famers, will cast also their ballots this fall.