The ITF’s Class of 2021 series recognises and celebrates players who have had a successful year progressing along the ITF player pathway, and beyond. The fourth of five categories being unveiled this week identifies three players who have excelled while representing their nation during this Olympic and Paralympic year

An individual sport in so many ways, tennis offers occasional opportunities to play for a team and rare, cherished chances to play for your nation. Players’ flags and three-letter nationalities may follow them around during their professional careers, a detail on a drawsheet or on-screen graphic, and compatriots may find themselves drawn to offer support along national lines. But ask any player who pulls on a jersey bearing the name and colours of their nation, and each will tell you: it’s a game-changer.

Playing for something bigger than yourself. Playing for your teammates, for your captain. Representing your nation. Seizing the moment. Dealing with expectations that go beyond your own ambitions. Inspiring your compatriots. The pride. The pressure. The noise of the fans. All of it makes flying your flag on a tennis court a unique test in professional tennis – and Belinda Bencic, Andrey Rublev and Sam Schroder exemplified what it takes to rise to that challenge at the Olympics, Paralympics, and team tennis world championships in 2021.

 

Belinda Bencic (SUI)

“If I end my career now without winning any additional matches, then I would still be happy,” Belinda Bencic declared after claiming the Tokyo 2020 Olympic singles gold this summer.

The 24-year-old became the first Swiss female tennis player to reach the top step of the podium, joining Barcelona 1992 champion Marc Rosset and Beijing 2008 doubles winners Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka in the pantheon of Swiss tennis gold medalists.

And she wasn’t done there. Bencic returned to the Ariake Tennis Coliseum with compatriot Viktorija Golubic to win doubles silver, and ended the year by anchoring Switzerland’s run to just their second Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas final after emerging from the ‘Group of Death’ at the 2021 Finals in Prague with victories over Germany and hosts Czech Republic.

Bencic ended the season as the world No. 23, with WTA final appearances in Adelaide and Berlin and a quarter-final run at the US Open, but her biggest wins in 2021 came with the Swiss flag pinned to her chest, a source of great personal pride.

“It’s definitely the biggest honour you can have,” Bencic said. “What means more than to represent your country in the best way possible? Doing everything you can, fighting not only for yourself but for your teammates and the whole country, the fans watching us – for me it’s very emotional.

“I feel good in these competitions, and I always perform well. Somehow, it’s a different feeling – I just like this atmosphere and I love to play for Switzerland. And whenever I see Vikki Golubic, or when we see some pictures [from Tokyo], I get emotional about it. It’s going to stay with us forever.”

Captain’s view

Heinz Guenthardt has been the Switzerland Billie Jean King Cup captain since 2012, the year Bencic made her competition debut aged 14.

“Playing for Switzerland brings out the best in Belinda – her results prove that it does. Already a terrific competitor by nature, playing with and for others seems to boost this quality. She showcased her capacity to perform to the maximum of her ability when it matters, both in Tokyo and Prague. When she joins up with the Billie Jean King Cup squad, she augments everybody’s performance on the team – including the staff – by simply being herself.”

 

Andrey Rublev (ROC/RTF)

Russian teams came close to completing a clean sweep of team competitions in 2021, winning a third Davis Cup by Rakuten title in Madrid and their fifth Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas crown in Prague, as well as claiming the Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas title and finishing third at the Junior Billie Jean King Cup in Antalya.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the Russian Olympic Committee players claimed three medals – the best return from the Olympic Tennis Event – with Karen Khachanov claiming singles silver before an all-ROC mixed doubles final brought the curtain down on the event, Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeating compatriots Aslan Karatsev and Elena Vesnina for the gold.

Both Pavlyuchenkova and Rublev would be worthy candidates for recognition in this category having played key roles for the Russian Tennis Federation in both Tokyo and at the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup Finals respectively, but Rublev’s role in securing the title in Madrid gives him the edge, joining Daniil Medvedev in delivering the singles victories over Croatia in the final to claim the nation’s first Davis Cup title since 2006.

“I was watching Russia against Argentina there,” Rublev said of that previous title win in Moscow 15 years ago, something he relishes being a part of today.

“Team competition is always special, here at the Davis Cup or the Olympic Games. Normally we don't have much time to spend together; these kind of competitions, we have to be together almost every day – eat together, have breakfast together, spend time together. This is something special that we are missing, that we don't really have time to do. These kind of events, they give us this chance. It's a great feeling because then you have a lot of memories. This is the most important thing.”

Captain’s view

Shamil Tarpischev took charge of his 100th Davis Cup tie as Russian captain in Madrid – combined with his previous parallel role as the nation’s Billie Jean King Cup captain, he has led his nation in over 150 ties in world’s leading team tennis competitions.

“I am now in the third generation of great tennis players that I follow closely and this [Davis Cup] team, the current one, reminds me a little of that of Safin, Kafelnikov and Davydenko. Daniil and Andrey were both overworked - Andrey faced emotional oversaturation, and psychologically he was very tired. Such problems are cumulative. Naturally, we took risks by choosing Rublev, but we hoped that at Davis Cup he would find the right attitude and emotions. We achieved that: in the semi-final and final, he and Medvedev played excellently."

 

Sam Schroder (NED)

Even the Russian dominance in Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup and Olympic podium in 2021 pales in comparison to the Dutch dominion over the wheelchair tennis events this season. The powerhouse nation eclipsed even its own previous Paralympic high-water mark by becoming the first country to feature on all six Paralympic wheelchair tennis podiums since the quad division was introduced to the Games in 2004, before sweeping the World Team Cup by BNP Paribas senior titles.

And while there is no denying the monumental achievement of Diede De Groot in winning both Paralympic singles and doubles golds in the women’s division – part of her historic calendar Golden Slam in 2021 – it is compatriot Sam Schroder who joins the class of 2021 for breaking new ground for Dutch quad wheelchair tennis, winning singles silver and doubles gold with Niels Vink – both firsts for the country's medal-laden programme.

Not only did the 21-year-old world No. 2 leave his first Paralympics with a gold and silver medal, matching the haul of fellow quad great Dylan Alcott at his final Games, he reached singles finals at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon before leading Netherlands to their first World Team Cup by BNP Paribas triumph in the quad division since 2008 – achievements he hopes can draw more people to the courts and stands to watch wheelchair tennis.

“It’s crazy that it’s happened already at this young age for both of us, our first Paralympics,” Schroder said of his Tokyo 2020 success alongside 18-year-old Vink, who claimed singles bronze. “I definitely would have signed up for this before the tournament – I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It’s been incredible, and even more motivation to keep going, keep training hard and just enjoy the moment.

“I hope that it inspires more people, first of all, just to watch wheelchair tennis and disabled sports in general, because it’s just amazing. I hope that screen time and people watching can increase over the years and it becomes more well-known. And through that way, also that we inspire more disabled people to try it out themselves and see if they enjoy it. As long as you can get moving and get enjoyment out of it, that’s all that matters.”

Coach’s view

Dennis Sporrel is the national head of wheelchair tennis at the KNTLB (Dutch Tennis Federation), credited by wheelchair tennis legend Esther Vergeer for revolutionising the nation’s approach to the sport since his tenure began in 2015.

“This year we have seen Sam play like a man, not as a junior. He is quite calm and a bit shy, but very responsible about his career. Together with his coach Joep Broens their work is very structured and professional. He certainly likes to play for his country: in both Tokyo and Sardinia I think he played a very high level, dominating with his forehand from the baseline but also inside the court, alongside a stable service and the right mindset.

“As for Dutch wheelchair tennis, we are proud of the results of the entire year, the development of all players and coaches, the great team spirit – and we think we can keep competing for the highest prizes for the next couple of years.”