The 12-time Grand Slam winner receives the Order of Sport together with five other athletes, two builders and a pioneer
The Canada Sports Hall of Fame has announced that Daniel Nestor will be inducted into the Class of 2024 and will receive the Order of Sport, Canada’s highest sporting honour, in October of this year.
“I feel truly blessed to be part of the Hall of Fame class of 2024 representing the sport of tennis,” Nestor said. “It is a pleasure to be mentioned in the same breath as this year’s inductees and to now join the ranks of newly minted athletes. For me, this recognition is the highest honor an athlete can receive in our country, so I am very grateful to have been selected.”
Gavin Ziv, CEO of Tennis Canada, commented: “Daniel was a pioneer and ambassador for tennis in Canada, paving the way for future generations. His illustrious career has given us unforgettable moments over the years. This honour is truly well-deserved.”
The 1.90-meter-tall left-hander had an exceptional career on the ATP Tour for over 28 years. In 2002, he reached the world number 1 doubles ranking for the first time and held this status for a total of 108 weeks. In 2000, Nestor made history for Canada, along with Sébastien Lareau, by winning gold at the Olympic Games in Sydney, the first and to date only Olympic medal for the Canadian tennis team.
Nestor was also the first man in tennis history to win all of the sport’s major titles, including all four Grand Slam tournaments, the ATP Masters 1000 events, the ATP Tour Finals and the Olympic Games. During his extraordinary career, he won 91 doubles titles and is considered one of the greatest doubles players of all time.
His outstanding achievements have earned him numerous honours, including the Order of Canada in 2010, a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame the following year, and induction into the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2018. He also received an honorary doctorate from York University in Toronto in 2012.
Nestor retired in 2018, but his commitment to tennis remains undiminished, as demonstrated by his initiative to share his expertise through an online doubles training course that will be launched in 2023.
The class of 2024 will receive the Order of Sport and be officially inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame on October 23 at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, during the 68th annual Order of Sport Awards ceremony presented by Everest.
“Gamer. Introvert. Problem solver. Creator. Thinker. Lifelong food evangelist. Alcohol advocate.”