The champion of 12 Grand Slam titles receives the Order of Sport together with five other athletes, two builders and a pioneer

The Canadian Sports Hall of Fame announced last Wednesday that Daniel Nestor has been inducted into the class of 2024 and that he will receive the Order of Sport, the most prestigious sports award given in Canada, next October.

“I am truly honored to be among the members of the 2024 cohort who will be able to enter the Pantheon and represent tennis,” Nestor stressed. “It fills me with great pride to be mentioned in the same sentence as this year’s candidates or alongside all the influential people who have been inducted in the past. For me, this recognition is the highest honor that an athlete can receive in our country and I am very grateful to have been chosen. »

Gavin Ziv, CEO of Tennis Canada, commented: “Daniel was a true pioneer and ambassador for tennis in Canada, paving the way for generations to come. His illustrious career has given us unforgettable moments over the years and this honour is more than deserved.”

The 6’3″ left-handed tennis player had an exceptional career on the ATP Tour for over 28 years. In 2002, he first reached the world No. 1 ranking in doubles and held that ranking for a total of 108 weeks. In 2000, Nestor made Canadian history by winning gold at the Sydney Olympics with Sébastien Lareau, the first and so far 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 Slams, ATP Masters 1000 events, ATP Tour Finals and the Olympic Games. During his stellar career, he won 91 doubles titles and is considered one of the greatest doubles players of all time.

His exceptional achievements have earned him numerous awards, 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. However, his commitment to the sport of tennis continues, as demonstrated by his initiative to share his expertise through online training capsules on doubles tennis, a project launched in 2023. Members of the 2024 cohort will be awarded the Order of Sport on October 23, 2024 at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, and will be officially inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame (Pantheon) during the 68th^e annual award ceremony of the Ordre du Sport, awarded by Everest.