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Roger Federer has been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, marking another emotional milestone in one of the sport’s most celebrated careers.
The Swiss great was visibly moved during Saturday’s ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island, as he reflected on his journey from a teenage ballboy in Basel to becoming a 20-time Grand Slam singles champion and one of the sport’s most recognisable figures.
Federer, 45, retired from professional tennis in 2022 after a career that included eight Wimbledon titles, six Australian Open crowns, five US Open victories and one French Open triumph. His induction formally places him among the sport’s most enduring figures.
“This is one of the greatest honors of my life,” Federer said. “They call this the Hall of Fame, but fame was never the goal.”
He said his ambition had always been to build a life around something he loved and share that passion with people who felt the same way.
“My goal was to spend my life doing something I love with people who I love it as much as I do,” he said.
Federer also brought humour to an otherwise emotional ceremony, recalling some of the less celebrated statistics from his playing days. Rather than focus on his Grand Slam titles or weeks spent as world number one, he joked about the thousands of headbands and pairs of socks he went through during his career.
He estimated that he wore more than 5,000 headbands between his emergence on the professional circuit and his retirement, quipping that the figure exceeded the combined totals of Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe. He also estimated that he had worn more than 7,000 pairs of socks because he routinely doubled them up.
But the lighter moments gave way to reflection as Federer considered how far he had travelled since his teenage years.
Recalling his time as a 13-year-old ballboy at an ATP tournament in Basel, he paid tribute to the youngsters who have occupied the same role throughout his career.
He became emotional while acknowledging the players, officials, fans, coaches, support staff, family and friends who shaped his career, including his childhood idol Stefan Edberg. Federer said the Hall of Fame induction had given him an opportunity not only to reflect on his playing career but also to consider his continuing connection with the sport.
