ITF

28 ITFWORLD SUMMER 2017 had such a memorable year, clinching the year-end No. 1 ranking in the last match of the season. It is particularly special with my brother Jamie also becoming World Champion." Jamie received his doubles award in harness with the Brazilian Bruno Soares. The pair had gone out of the men's doubles the previous day at Roland Garros but Soares was able to attend the dinner and receive the award in person. "As a new team coming into the season there is a lot of expectation and belief, but also some doubts and uncertainty, so for us to finish the year as the No. 1 team winning two Slams was amazing," said Soares. "It gives us a lot to look forward to in the future." Murray and Soares won their Slam titles in Melbourne and New York, just as the women's singles World Champion Angelique Kerber did in "by far the best year of my career." WORLD CHAMPIONS DINNER system and we have the set-up to develop players. If they make it to the highest step we don't stop but continue helping them." Looking around the assembled guests at the Pavillon Cambon Capucines in the heart of Paris, Sanchez and Casal would have noted several young people who have been both a credit to themselves and the sport in general. Murray was one of eight World Champions honoured at the dinner, seven of whom were receiving the award for the first time. Both the men's and women's end- of-year singles World Champions were convincing first-time winners. Apart from Murray's second Wimbledon triumph in a year which saw him win nine titles in all, he also pulled off the unique achievement of winning a second Olympic singles gold medal as well as finishing the year as world No. 1. "It means a lot to me to be named ITF World Champion," said Murray. "I have creating champions The best players and teams of 2016 were honoured at the ITF World Champions Dinner, and the Philippe Chatrier Award was presented to Sergio Casal and Emilio Sanchez. By Clive White. I t was appropriate that, at the time Emilio Sanchez and Sergio Casal were presented with the prestigious Philippe Chatrier Award in Paris in early June, their most famous pupil, the world No. 1 Andy Murray, should be enjoying his best run of form in a frustrating season. The special demands of clay make it, in Murray's opinion, the truest test of a tennis player and while the Scot may not have enjoyed the same success on the surface as he has on grass and hard court, his run to the semifinals at Roland Garros this year was full of good things and for that he owes a debt of gratitude to the two Spaniards, who coached him during his formative years from the age of 14 at their academy in Barcelona. So why does the Sanchez-Casal Academy enjoy the reputation it does? "I think it's because we care," said Sanchez. "We are tennis people and our players feel that. I hope we have some knowledge, a Andy Murray receives his award at Roland Garros David Haggerty with Petr Pala and Daniel Orsanic Chatrier Award winners Sergio Casal and Emilio Sanchez

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