Roger Federer was formally inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on August 29, 2026, in Newport, Rhode Island, joining broadcaster Mary Carillo in this year's class [1, 2, 3]. The 45-year-old Swiss retired tennis legend won 20 Grand Slam singles titles, holding records including eight Wimbledon titles, six Australian Opens, five US Opens, and a French Open to complete a career Grand Slam [4, 5, 6, 7].
Federer finished his career with 103 ATP Tour singles titles and spent 310 weeks as the world No. 1, retiring in 2022 [4, 5, 6, 7]. He also won Olympic doubles gold in 2008 alongside Stan Wawrinka and helped Switzerland clinch the 2014 Davis Cup [4, 5, 6, 7].
At the induction ceremony and preceding press events, Federer expressed deep emotion calling the Hall of Fame honor "one of the greatest honours of my life." He said, "They call this the Hall of Fame, but fame was never the goal. My goal was to spend my life doing something I love... with people who I love it as much as I do" [1].
Reflecting on his career, Federer described it as a "love letter to tennis," adding, "I'm still writing my love letter to tennis, and my time as a player is done, but tennis will always stand at the intersection of everything I care most about" [2]. He recounted embracing the pressures and outside noise of elite sport but said he managed to maintain happiness on tour despite challenges [4].
Federer highlighted his off-court efforts in improving the sport, stating he hopes he helped "drive the sport in the right direction" through work with ATP leadership, tournaments, players, and councils where he donated his time [4]. He also shared lighter moments from his career, noting he wore over 5,000 headbands and about 7,000 pairs of socks during matches [1, 3].
He thanked his coaches, family including his wife Mirka, support staff, and ball kids, saying, "I really want to thank every ball kid who ever stood through my matches or all our matches, for that matter, for hours on end. I see you. I thank you. I was you" [1].
Federer expressed pride in representing Switzerland and recalled starting as a 13-year-old ball boy in Basel, saying bringing his country into the Hall of Fame means a great deal to him [1, 2].
Ahead of the US Open 2026, Federer appeared in an exhibition match and announced plans to remain connected to tennis by participating in three to five events annually. He said he may take roles such as Laver Cup captain, coaching younger players, or broadcasting [7, 8].
