Roger Federer, the 20-time Grand Slam champion who retired three years ago, cried on the stage he once owned as tennis gave him its highest honor: a spot in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island, on August 29 turned into a long, emotional love letter to the sport that “meant the world” to him, as Federer told reporters in a speech that brought him to tears several times.
An honor built on 20 Slams and 310 weeks on top
Federer was inducted alongside broadcaster Mary Carillo, who was presented by Hall of Famer Billie Jean King. The 45-year-old Swiss walked up to the grass court stage at the Hall’s entrance, kissed his wife Mirka, who introduced him, and immediately admitted the moment had him stressed and holding back happy tears. It was the first red-carpet show in the Hall’s history, and the man they call the Swiss Maestro was its headliner.
| Accomplishment | Number |
|---|---|
| Grand Slam singles titles | 20 |
| Wimbledon titles | 8 (men’s record) |
| Weeks as world No. 1 | 310 |
| Consecutive weeks as No. 1 | 237 (record) |
| Career ATP titles | 103 |
| Career Grand Slam | One of only 8 men |
Mirka, the coaches, and the happy tears
The 274th Hall of Famer nearly lost it when he thanked his childhood hero Stefan Edberg, calling those moments happy tears. He broke down again remembering longtime coach Severin Luthi, and again when the Mirka part came. “Oh gosh, this is such a mess,” he joked through the tears, then asked the crowd for tissues and sunglasses “to protect me right now,” per the emotional account. He closed by thanking the ball kids and urging the next generation to keep taking the sport to new levels.
A legacy that goes beyond the trophies
Federer won six Australian Opens and the 2009 French Open, completing one of only eight career Grand Slams in men’s tennis history, and captured five consecutive U.S. Open titles from 2004 to 2008. But he insisted fame was never the goal. “Tennis meant the world to me. Not just playing, not just winning, but creating something new,” he said. The induction came as his contemporaries, from Novak Djokovic to Rafael Nadal, played on at the U.S. Open, a reminder of the era he defined.
- Retired in 2022 with 103 ATP Tour titles
- First man to reach 20 Grand Slam singles titles
- Played with elegance, a signature headband, and always two pairs of socks
- Proud that “Switzerland is coming with me” into the Hall
Filipino fans know the pull of Federer’s farewell run all too well, from the US Open drone-show tribute that finally gave him his New York goodbye to Alex Eala scoring front-row seats to his comeback. Now his name sits permanently in Newport, right where the sport’s immortals gather.
