On Wednesday, Daniel Nestor was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024 and received the Order of Sport, Canada’s highest sporting honour, which was presented to him by Tennis Canada CEO Gavin Ziv. The ceremony celebrated nine remarkable individuals at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, during the 68th Annual Order of Sport Awards, presented by Everest.
“It’s a privilege and a huge honour to be officially inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame,” said Nestor. “I’d like to congratulate the rest of the 2024 class on this spectacular achievement and thank Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame for making this a truly special and one-of-a-kind day. With Canadian tennis at an incredible level right now, I know I won’t be the last player to receive this distinction in the tennis category, and I can’t wait to see how many more will join the Order of Sport.”
The 12-time Grand Slam doubles champion and former doubles world No. 1 had an outstanding 28-year career on the ATP circuit, reaching the top of the doubles rankings for the first time in 2002 and holding that position for a total of 108 weeks. He won 91 doubles titles, placing him third all-time.
In 2000, Nestor made history by winning gold alongside Sébastien Lareau at the Sydney Olympics, marking Canada’s first and only Olympic gold medal in tennis to date. He also holds the record for the most Davis Cup wins by a Canadian player, with 48 victories representing his country.
Nestor became the first man in tennis history to win all major titles, including all four Grand Slam tournaments, ATP Masters 1000 events, the ATP Tour Finals, and the Olympics.
His extraordinary accomplishments have earned him numerous honors, 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 degree from York University in Toronto in 2012.
Although Nestor retired in 2018, his commitment to tennis continues. In 2023, he launched an online doubles training course to share his expertise, and he is actively involved in charitable initiatives, currently developing a foundation aimed at helping underprivileged youth engage in sports through tennis.
The Class of 2024 also honored other deserving icons, including Patrick Chan, a three-time Olympian and Canada’s most decorated male figure skater, Kirby Cote, one of Canada’s most decorated Para athletes, and Alex Nelson, who was inducted in the Builder category for his lifelong dedication to Indigenous sport and leadership in that area.
STACEY ALLASTER INDUCTED INTO ONTARIO SPORTS HALL OF FAME; ROBERT WRIGHT TO BE WELCOMED INTO BC SPORTS HALL OF FAME IN MAY 2025
At the provincial level, Canadian and former Tennis Canada Vice President, Sales and Marketing Stacey Allaster was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame last week. Currently the Tournament Director of the US Open, Allaster is also the former Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the WTA Tour and is considered a trailblazer for diversity and gender equality in sport. She was inducted as part of a ceremony at the Marriott Airport Toronto on Thursday, October 17.
In British Columbia, former Tennis Canada Chair Robert Wright was announced as an inductee to the BC Sports Hall of Fame as the winner of the 2025 W. A. C. Bennett Award, awarded to British Columbians who have made remarkable contributions to the sport community. Wright served as Tennis Canada Chair from 1989 to 1991 and on the ITF’s then-Federation Cup Committee from 1987 to 1989.
