Djokovic and Sabalenka named 2023 ITF World Champions
· Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka named 2023 ITF World Champion in men’s and women’s singles, respectively, following memorable seasons for both players
· The prestigious annual awards recognise 11 players across various categories, including men’s and women’s doubles and wheelchair and junior tennis
· Quotes from all 2023 ITF World Champions can be found below
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has announced Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka as the 2023 ITF World Champions in men’s singles and women’s singles respectively, recognising both players’ outstanding seasons.
Djokovic secured titles at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and the US Open to extend his all-time record for most Grand Slam men’s singles titles, as well as finishing runner-up at Wimbledon. Meanwhile, Sabalenka won her first major singles title at the Australian Open, finished runner-up at the US Open and reached the semi-finals at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Djokovic and Sabalenka were the only two players to reach the singles semi-finals or better at all four Grand Slam tournaments in 2023.
This week, the ITF also celebrated nine other World Champions. Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury earned their second ITF World Champion award in men’s doubles after a strong end to the season in which they won a third consecutive US Open title and triumphed at the ATP Finals. Wimbledon runners-up Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens, who finished the year, respectively, at No. 1 and No. 2 in the WTA doubles rankings claimed the ITF World Champion award in women’s doubles.
Great Britain’s Alfie Hewett and Netherlands’ Diede De Groot received honours in the men’s and women’s wheelchair categories, respectively, with Hewett winning for the first time and De Groot named as World Champion for the fifth occasion. In the quad wheelchair category, Dutchman Niels Vink collected the award for the second consecutive season.
At junior level, Alina Korneeva, a two-time Grand Slam girls’ singles winner in 2023, and Joao Fonseca, who won the boys’ singles title at the US Open, were named ITF World Champions.
The ITF World Champions are selected based on objective criteria considering all results from the season, placing special emphasis on Grand Slam tournaments, ITF international team competitions and, in Olympic and Paralympic years, the tennis events at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
ITF President David Haggerty said: “Congratulations to our 2023 ITF World Champions. These awards recognise the incredible seasons that these 11 athletes have had, with our World Champions collectively winning an amazing 24 Grand Slam titles in 2023. We hope that the players enjoy a peaceful off-season over the coming weeks and wish them all the best for the 2024 season.”
Speaking at the 2023 Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga, Novak Djokovic said: “It’s the crown of the season, finishing the year as No. 1 in the world. I think it’s a dream of every tennis player. It’s one of the most difficult things to do in our sport. Winning Grand Slams and being No. 1 in the world are probably the pinnacles of the sport.”
Aryna Sabalenka said: “2023 has been an incredible season for me and I’m very happy to be named ITF World Champion. From winning my first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open to reaching world No. 1 for the first time, it has been an amazing year. I’m very grateful to my family, my team and my fans for their support in 2023 and I can’t wait to get back out on court for the new season in January.”
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Notes to Editors
ITF Singles World Champions
Novak Djokovic has been crowned the ITF World Champion for the eight time after yet another extraordinary year. Djokovic equalled Rafael Nadal’s all-time record of 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles by triumphing at the Australian Open, before claiming sole ownership of the record by winning the title at Roland Garros. He added another major title at the US Open, bouncing back from a runner-up finish to Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon. He also won the title at the season-ending ATP Finals and helped Serbia to the semi-finals of the Davis Cup.
Aryna Sabalenka is named ITF World Champion for the first time after a season in which she won her first Grand Slam singles title, defeating Elena Rybakina in the final at the Australian Open. She finished runner-up to Coco Gauff at the US Open, a result which saw her become world No. 1 for the first time. She also reached the semi-finals at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon; she and Djokovic were the only two players to reach the singles semi-finals or better at all four Grand Slam tournaments in 2023.
ITF Doubles World Champions
Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury are named as ITF World Champions in men’s doubles for the second straight year, after they became the first team in the Open Era to win three consecutive US Open men’s doubles titles, defeating Rohan Bopanna/Matthew Ebden in the final at Flushing Meadows this year. The pair also won the title at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin. They become the first team to be named ITF World Champions in men’s doubles in consecutive years since Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in 2013-14.
Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens are recognised as ITF World Champions in women’s doubles for the first time after the pair enjoyed great success in 2023, ending the year ranked, respectively, as No. 1 and No. 2 in the WTA doubles rankings. The pair won two WTA 1000 titles, at Rome and Guadalajara, and finished as runners-up at Wimbledon, falling to Hsieh Su-Wei and Barbora Strycova. They ended the season with a semi-final finish at the WTA Finals. Mertens is the first Belgian player to win the ITF World Champion award in women’s doubles, while Hunter becomes the third Australian player to earn the accolade, after Rennae Stubbs (2001) and Samantha Stosur (2005 and 2006).
ITF Wheelchair World Champions
Diede de Groot is the ITF World Champion in the women’s wheelchair category for the fifth consecutive occasion, after another extraordinary season in which she won the Grand Slam in women’s wheelchair singles for a third year in a row. She won 14 titles in total this year and extended her winning streak to 127 consecutive matches, with her last defeat on the tour coming on 11 February 2021. By winning for the award for the fifth time, she moves into sole occupancy of 2nd place on the list for most ITF World Champion awards in the women’s wheelchair category – ahead of Monique Kalkman (4) but behind Esther Vergeer (14).
Alfie Hewett is named ITF World Champion in the men’s wheelchair category for the first time, after an outstanding season in which he reached the singles final at all four Grand Slam tournaments. He defeated Tokito Oda in the final at the Australian Open and compatriot Gordon Reid in the final at the US Open – with the latter result restoring his status as world No. 1, after he had finished as runner-up to Oda at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, dropping to world No. 2 after Roland Garros. He also won the title at the season-ending Wheelchair Singles Masters. He is the 2nd British man to win the award after Reid in 2016.
Niels Vink becomes the second player to win multiple ITF World Champions awards in the quad wheelchair category after three-time winner Dylan Alcott. Vink reached the singles final at all four Grand Slam tournaments, winning his second title at Roland Garros and his first at Wimbledon. He finished runner-up at the Australian Open and US Open, falling to fellow Dutchman Sam Schroder on both occasions. Those defeats were the only two singles losses he suffered on tour in 2023, while amassing a total of 56 victories and 12 singles titles.
2023 ITF Junior World Champions
Alina Korneeva earned the ITF World Champion award in the junior girls category after becoming the first player in a decade to win two Grand Slam girls’ singles titles in a season. Korneeva was victorious at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros, and also reached the semi-finals of the girls’ singles at Wimbledon. She capped the year by winning the 2023 ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals in Chengdu, and announced herself on the professional scene with victory at W60 Pretoria in March. She also broke the WTA Top 200 for the first time, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 156 in November.
Joao Fonseca is the ITF World Champion in the junior boys category and becomes the first Brazilian junior player to win an ITF World Champion award. He is the fourth Brazilian player to win an ITF World Champion award in any discipline – after Gustavo Kuerten (men’s singles, 2000), Bruno Soares (men’s doubles, 2016) and Marcelo Melo (men’s doubles, 2017). The highlight of his season came at the US Open, where he defeated Learner Tien to win the boys’ singles title, while he also reached the boys’ singles quarter-finals at the other three Grand Slam tournaments. He also won the title at J300 Roehampton and made his ATP Tour debut as a wild card at Rio de Janeiro in February.
2023 ITF World Champions – player quotes
Rajeev Ram (USA): “I am really pleased to be named ITF World Champion for the second time. Joe and I had another great year together and winning our third title at the US Open in New York was extremely special. We would like to thank our team, our families and our supporters and are already looking forward to starting the 2024 season in Australia next month.”
Joe Salisbury (GBR): “It has been another excellent year and Rajeev and I are delighted to be named ITF World Champions again. Successfully defending our US Open title together was of course the highlight and the season ended on a high with our win at the ATP Finals in Turin. We’re already looking forward to 2024 and hopefully another year of big wins.”
Storm Hunter (AUS): “What an amazing honour it is to be named ITF doubles world champions for 2023. Elise and I had a wonderful year together on the court with some incredible memories such as winning Rome and making the final of Wimbledon. Thank you everyone for your support and looking forward to 2024.”
Elise Mertens (BEL): Storm and I had an amazing year on the doubles court together and we are really pleased to be recognised with the ITF World Champion award. It was great to reach our first Grand Slam final together at Wimbledon and to finish the year at No. 1 and No. 2 in the world. Very much looking forward to 2024!
Diede de Groot (NED): “I’m super proud of my team and myself for continuing this streak. We have been working towards this and are now working towards 2024 and to being at the absolute best. Let’s go for it!”
Alfie Hewett (GBR): “To finish 2023 as World Champion for the first time in my career is so special. It was a goal that me and my team set at the start of the year, so we’re very happy to hit that. It’s been a special year all-round. Australia was big for me, to get the two wins there after results in previous years and while another Wimbledon title is always special, there is still unfinished business there in singles.
“My team have been great, and I appreciate all the support from them this year and I feel we have again seen continued progression and exposure for the amazing sport of wheelchair tennis. I’m ever grateful to the parties who are giving us the platform to showcase our sport and to bring about ever-greater parity for us. I only hope to inspire more kids to get into the sport of tennis going forward and as part of that we have an exciting year ahead with the Paris Paralympics, so stay tuned!”
Niels Vink (NED): “Crowned as a World Champion again. I will never get used to it, especially now for the second time in a row. It’s a very special and beautiful feeling. This year was an amazing year. I lost only two matches, won two singles Grand Slams, three doubles Grand Slams, all Super-Series, the Masters and became European Champion. Last year I thought this cannot get any better, but I managed to do it. This wouldn’t be possible without the help of my team, especially Hans my coach.”
Alina Korneeva: “I am so happy with the results that I have had this year and, of course, I am so happy to be the year-end No. 1. But I do not want to stop there. I cannot wait for next season, and I hope it will bring some new things. I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported me and helped me to achieve the results I have had. I would also like to say big congratulations to all the players for an incredible year – all the best for 2024.”
Joao Fonseca (BRA): “I am very proud of my junior career and it is an honour to be the first Brazilian ever to finish the year as the No. 1 in the world and receive the ITF World Champion award. We have had so many amazing players in juniors over the years. I hope to inspire the next generation and achieve all the amazing things that all the Brazilian legends achieved.”
