Swiss tennis player Roger Federer was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, USA, on August 29. During the ceremony, the 20-time Grand Slam tournament winner delivered an emotional speech and was moved to tears several times.
As Channel NewsAsia reports, broadcaster and journalist Mary Carillo was inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside Federer. The tennis player called the recognition one of the greatest honours of his life and noted that fame had never been his goal. According to Federer, he sought to devote his life to something he loves, alongside people who share that love.
Federer’s achievements
Federer retired in 2022 after winning 103 ATP Tour titles. He won Wimbledon eight times, a record among men. The Swiss player also won the Australian Open six times, the US Open five times and the French Open once. In total, he spent 310 weeks atop the world rankings.
In his speech, Federer recalled his own playing style: serve-and-volley approaches to the net, playing close to or far behind the baseline, and a return known as SABR — Sneak Attack by Roger. He said tennis was important to him not only because of the game and victories, but also because it gave him an opportunity to create something new.
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Thanks to family and colleagues
The 45-year-old athlete thanked his coaches, doctors and family. During the ceremony, his wife Mirka highlighted Federer’s qualities off the court — as a husband, father and friend. The tennis player also recalled working as a ball boy at tennis matches in Basel when he was 13 and said he was proud that Switzerland was entering the Hall of Fame with him.
Federer said he was incredibly fortunate to have played with representatives of different generations of tennis players, including Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. He stressed that although his time as a player had ended, tennis would remain connected to his family, friendships and future plans.
Federer expressed hope that as the pace of professional tennis increases and the sport becomes more global, it will preserve its amateur spirit and camaraderie among players. He urged tennis players to remain themselves, never stop asking questions, take risks and seek new approaches to the game.
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