Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/560492
28 ITFWORLD SUMMER 2015 Honouring T wo women who have built special legacies in tennis topped and tailed this year's World Champions Dinner in Paris, held in a new venue amid the Art Nouveau splendour of the Pavillon Cambon Capucines. Serena Williams took a taxi ride from her Paris apartment and was greeted with huge applause as she dropped in to accept her award as Women's World Champion. Wearing a white flowing dress borrowed from friend Caroline Wozniacki, it was an impressive display from the American who battled illness throughout her Roland Garros campaign but ultimately won, clocking up an extraordinary 20th Grand Slam title four days later. Among the guests was IOC President Thomas Bach, in Paris for meetings with ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti, and Bach took the opportunity to meet all the Olympic medallists who were guests at the dinner and have his photo taken with gold medallists Williams, Bob and Mike Bryan and Lindsay Davenport. The Bryan brothers were back to collect their 11th honour as ITF Doubles World Champions and they said how important the award was for them as a goal each year. Their female counterparts, Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci, sent video messages and MC Andrew Castle made apologies on behalf of Novak Djokovic, the Men's World Champion remaining at home to prepare for his all-important quarterfinal showdown with Rafael Nadal the following day. Serena Williams sparkled at the ITF World Champions Dinner in June as the best performers of 2014 were honoured and Mary Carillo was presented with the Philippe Chatrier Award. WORLD CHAMPIONS DINNER IOC President Thomas Bach with Francesco Ricci Bitti Mary Carillo with the Philippe Chatrier Award Junior World Champions CiCi Bellis and Andrey Rublev