August 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nFor King, the great impact Federer generated is visible in the leading figures of tennis today.<\/p>\n
\u201cTake Carlos Alcaraz. Carlos is born, and the three best players in history played for more than 20 years. Roger had a great rivalry with Nadal, and then Djokovic appeared. Can you imagine growing up watching those three? That is what helps each generation surpass the last: you are watching the greatest. The standard Carlos has seen his entire life is incredibly high,\u201d said the 12-time Grand Slam champion.<\/p>\n
Mats Wilander, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002, also believes Federer\u2019s greatest contribution was raising the level of competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis biggest impact is that he raised the bar so high that the level suddenly improved remarkably \u2014 because he was so dominant in his generation and took it to the next level, which is why today we have Alcaraz and Sinner,\u201d the 1988 world No. 1 told CLAY.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way he was able to get so many non-tennis fans interested in watching him,\u201d said Jim Courier.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe elegance that he brought to the game, the way he made something so complicated look so simple, and maintaining his dignity and class all the way through all the combat he endured \u2014 it was pretty spectacular,\u201d the North American, a two-time Australian Open and Roland Garros champion, told CLAY.<\/p>\n
Redefining the game. Imposing a unique style, as effective as it was pleasing to the eye. Marat Safin, one of his great generational rivals, places Federer\u2019s main legacy right there.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was the new way of playing tennis \u2014 his technique, his vision, the way he approached the game. He created a new generation of young players who grew up on him. The way he could play with the ball, he brought it to a whole different level of understanding the corners. You can see it in the way he was moving, the way he was anticipating, the way he was behaving on court. It\u2019s the best one,\u201d Safin told CLAY.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe challenged you to play at 150% to beat his 100%. He\u2019s the most complete player of all time, in my opinion. The margin of error is very small, and if you lose a little bit of concentration, you are gone \u2014 and everybody knew it,\u201d the Russian, former world number one and champion in New York (2000) and Melbourne (2005), said in Newport.<\/p>\n
In the most technical of analyses, Billie Jean King described a detail that for her makes an important difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe watches the ball better than anybody else, which I love to analyze. The main reason people miss the ball, especially at the pro level, is because they don\u2019t watch the ball all the way to the contact point. When Roger was playing, I said: go watch Roger. He\u2019s versatile, he\u2019s quick, but he watches the ball,\u201d said King, a Hall of Fame member since 1987.<\/p>\n
Popular affection is another notable aspect, evident this Saturday in Newport, where never before had so many people gathered for an induction ceremony.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s an all-time great. People adored him, particularly corporate people,\u201d said Billie Jean King. \u201cHe just made the game so popular in the world because he\u2019s such a class act,\u201d said Wilander.<\/p>\n
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