Mary Carillo Receives Official International Tennis Hall of Fame Ring at Legends Ball in NYC
The Class of 2026 inductee received her ring on stage during the ITHF’s annual gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, surrounded by fellow Hall of Famers, friends and special performances
Renowned commentator and journalist Mary Carillo received her official International Tennis Hall of Fame ring on Saturday evening at the annual Legends Ball, surrounded by tennis legends, friends, and supporters at the Ziegfeld Ballroom.
Carillo was presented with her ring on stage by Hall of Fame President Kim Clijsters and Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova. The presentation followed video tributes celebrating Carillo’s lifelong involvement in tennis, storied broadcasting career, and Hall of Fame induction two weeks prior. Carillo was inducted on August 29 as a member of the Class of 2026, earning tennis’ ultimate honor in the Contributor Category for her contributions to tennis media and commentary.
Additional Hall of Famers in attendance to celebrate Carillo’s honor included Vijay Amritraj, Tracy Austin, Jennifer Capriati, Rosie Casals, Michael Chang, Lindsay Davenport, Rick Draney, Gigi Fernanez, Steve Flink, David Hall, Monique Kalkman, Leander Paes, Brad Parks, Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, Stan Smith and Chantal Vandierendonck.
“If you’ve ever listened to me, I love this game,” said Carillo. “I love its players. I love that I get to work with so many of them now. I'm very honored and humbled to be here, so I just want to thank everybody.”
- Mary Carillo l Class of 2026
Custom-crafted by Baron®, the Official Ring Provider of the ITHF, Hall of Fame rings are presented separately from the formal induction ceremony at a meaningful location chosen by or significant to the inductee. The ring serves as a permanent symbol of an elite place in tennis history, honoring the inductee's legacy among family, friends, and fans worldwide.
As the ITHF’s marquee annual gala, Legends Ball brings the tennis community together to celebrate excellence while supporting the Hall of Fame’s nonprofit mission. Proceeds directly support efforts to preserve tennis history and honor its champions for the purpose of inspiring future generations. During the event, students from TeamFAME and New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) took the stage to share how the ITHF’s local and global youth programming has impacted their lives. The evening featured musical performances throughout, highlighted by a special closing set by nine-time Grammy Award winner Sheryl Crow.
Additional highlights from the 2026 Induction Celebration can be found at tennisfame.com/induction.
