The legendary Czech duo of Ivan Lendl and Hana Mandlikova received the opening ITF World Champion junior honours in 1978, paving the way for some of the game's all-time greatest players to use it as a spring board for success.
The boys' winners down the years include Pat Cash, Stefan Edberg, Roger Federer and Andy Roddick, while among the girls' champions are Gabriela Sabatini, Martina Hingis, Amelie Mauresmo and Svetlana Kuznetsova.
After only presenting a singles award for the first few years, a doubles category was added in 1982. The format was changed again in 2004 when the two disciplines were combined, a system which is still used today.
Boys
Filip Peliwo is only the second Canadian after Daniel Nestor to be named ITF World Champion in any category after securing the year-end No. 1 junior boys ranking.
The 18-year-old became the first player since Mark Kratzmann in 1984 to reach all four junior Slam finals in a calendar year. He lost his first two finals at the Australian Open and Roland Garros, before winning Wimbledon and the US Open.
Peliwo said: “This is such a great achievement and a huge honour to be recognised by the ITF for this award. I exceeded even my own expectations this past year and to have the year-end No. 1 ranking is something really special that I am proud of.”
Peliwo will receive his 2012 award at the ITF World Champions Dinner, to be held in Paris on 4 June 2013.
Honour roll
- 2012: Filip Peliwo (CAN)
- 2011: Jiri Vesely (CZE)
- 2010: Juan Sebastian Gomez (COL)
- 2009: Daniel Berta (SWE)
- 2008: Tsung-Hua Yang (TPE)
- 2007: Ricardis Berankis (LTU)
- 2006: Thiemo de Bakker (NED)
- 2005: Donald Young (USA)
- 2004: Gael Monfils
BOYS' SINGLES
- 2003: Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
- 2002: Richard Gasquet (FRA)
- 2001: Gilles Muller (LUX)
- 2000: Andy Roddick (USA)
- 1999: Kristian Pless (DEN)
- 1998: Roger Federer (SUI)
- 1997: Arnand di Pasquale (FRA)
- 1996: Sebastien Grosjean (FRA)
- 1995: Mariano Zabaleta (ARG)
- 1994: Federico Browne (ARG)
- 1993: Marcelo Rios (CHI)
- 1992: Brian Dunn (USA)
- 1991: Thomas Enqvist (SWE)
- 1990: Andrea Gaudenzi (ITA)
- 1989: Nicklas Kulti (SWE)
- 1988: Nicolas Pereira (VEN)
- 1987: Jason Stoltenberg (AUS)
- 1986: Javier Sanchez (ESP)
- 1985: Claudio Pistolesi (ITA)
- 1984: Mark Kratzmann (AUS)
- 1983: Stefan Edberg (SWE)
- 1982: Guy Forget (FRA)
- 1981: Pat Cash (AUS)
- 1980: Thierry Tulasne (FRA)
- 1979: Raul Viver (ECU)
- 1978: Ivan Lendl (TCH)
BOYS' DOUBLES
- 2003: Scott Oudsema (USA)
- 2002: Florin Mergea (ROU) / Horia Tecau (ROU)
- 2001: Bruno Echagaray (MEX) / Santiago Gonzalez (MEX)
- 2000: Lee Childs (GBR) / James Nelson (GBR)
- 1999: Julien Benneteau (FRA) / Nicolas Mahut (FRA)
- 1998: Jose de Armas (VEN)
- 1997: Nicolas Massu (CHI)
- 1996: Sebastien Grosjean (FRA)
- 1995: Kepler Orellana (VEN)
- 1994: Ben Ellwood (AUS)
- 1993: Steven Downs (NZL)
- 1992: Enrique Abaroa (MEX)
- 1991: Karim Alami (MAR)
- 1990: Martin Renstroem (SWE)
- 1989: Wayne Ferreira (RSA)
- 1988: David Rikl (TCH) / Tomas Zdrazila (TCH)
- 1987: Jason Stoltenberg (AUS)
- 1986: Tomas Carbonell (ESP)
- 1985: Petr Korda (TCH) / Cyril Suk (TCH)
- 1984: Augustin Moreno (MEX)
- 1983: Mark Kratzmann (AUS)
- 1982: Fernando Perez (MEX)
Girls
Taylor Townsend is the first American girl since Gretchen Rush in 1982 to be named Junior World Champion.
The 16-year-old captured her first major singles title at the Australian Open, and narrowly failed to achieve the Grand Slam in doubles, winning three titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. She also led her country to victory in the finals of the Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas.
Townsend said: “It’s a great honour. I mean, there’s so much that goes into the title World Champion, and I’m honoured and blessed that they would even crown me that.”
Townsend will receive her 2012 award at the ITF World Champions Dinner, to be held in Paris on 4 June 2013.
Honour roll
- 2012: Taylor Townsend (USA)
- 2011: Irina Khromacheva (RUS)
- 2010: Daria Gavrilova (RUS)
- 2009: Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)
- 2008: Noppawan Lertcheewakarn (THA)
- 2007: Ursula Radwanska (POL)
- 2006: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
- 2005: Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
- 2004: Michaella Krajicek (NED)
GIRLS' SINGLES
- 2003: Kirsten Flipkens (BEL)
- 2002: Barbora Strycova (CZE)
- 2001: Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
- 2000: Maria Emilia Salerni (ARG)
- 1999: Lina Krasnoroutskaia (RUS)
- 1998: Jelena Dokic (AUS)
- 1997: Cara Black (ZIM)
- 1996: Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)
- 1995: Anna Kournikova (RUS)
- 1994: Martina Hingis (SUI)
- 1993: Nino Louarssabichvili (GEO)
- 1992: Rossana De Los Rios (PAR)
- 1991: Zdenka Malkova (TCH)
- 1990: Karina Habsudova (TCH)
- 1989: Florencia Labat (ARG)
- 1988: Cristina Tessi (ARG)
- 1987: Natalia Zvereva (URS)
- 1986: Patricia Tarabini (ARG)
- 1985: Laura Garrone (ITA)
- 1984: Gabriela Sabatini (ARG)
- 1983: Pascale Paradis (FRA)
- 1982: Gretchen Rush (USA)
- 1981: Zina Garrison (USA)
- 1980: Susan Mascarin (USA)
- 1979: Mary-Lou Piatek (USA)
- 1978: Hana Mandlikova (TCH)
GIRLS' DOUBLES
- 2003: Andrea Hlavackova (CZE)
- 2002: Elke Clijsters (BEL)
- 2001: Petra Cetkovska (CZE)
- 2000: Maria Emilia Salerni (ARG)
- 1999: Daniela Bedanova (CZE)
- 1998: Eva Dyrberg (DEN)
- 1997: Cara Black (ZIM) / Irina Selyntina (KAZ)
- 1996: Michaela Pastikova (CZE) / Jitka Schonfeldova (CZE)
- 1995: Ludmila Varmuzova (CZE)
- 1994: Martina Nedelkova (SVK)
- 1993: Cristina Moros (USA)
- 1992: Nancy Feber (BEL) / Laurence Courtois (BEL)
- 1991: Eva Martincova (TCH)
- 1990: Karina Habsudova (TCH)
- 1989: Andrea Strnadova (TCH)
- 1988: Jo-Anne Faull (AUS)
- 1987: Natalia Medvedeva (URS)
- 1986: Leila Meskhi (URS)
- 1985: Mariana Perez-Roldan (ARG) / Patricia Tarabini (ARG)
- 1984: Mercedes Paz (ARG)
- 1983: Larissa Savchenko (URS)
- 1982: Beth Herr (USA)