Jennifer Capriati Inducted Into Tennis Hall Of Fame [Video]

It was a long and winding road for the teenage tennis prodigy, but Jennifer Capriati has finally made it to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Capriati, along with several other tennis icons, was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Capriati said:

“I still managed to overcome some adversity, win a Gold Medal, win some Grand Slams and stand at the podium at the Hall of Fame… This is one milestone I thought I’d never achieve.”

The Associated Press reports that Capriati was a teenage tennis phenom. At just 14-years-old, Capirati reached the semifinals at the 1990 French Open. Her career was derailed in later years by off-the-court problems (drug use, a few arrests, a stint in rehab) but she was able to get her swing back and became a three-time Grand Slam champion.

Capriati said:

“This is so great for me because it’s putting a lot of closure to my career and I’m able to move forward, give thanks, take thanks, give the honor and take the honor, and just be acknowledged here. It means everything to me.”

Capriati won three grand slam championships, a gold medal for the United States at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, and ended her career in 2004 with a 430-176 record.

Here’s a video of Jennifer Capriati’s induction speech.