Well, it’s no surprise to anyone who’s paid attention over the past quarter-century: Roger Federer has been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, the Rhode Island-based International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Wednesday.
As the first man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles and joining rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in an era of unprecedented greatness – what Federer calls “the golden age of tennis” – he is the only candidate in the Hall’s player category of 2026 to have enough support.
Players can only be considered after five years away from the tour and need to be selected by 75% of the voting base, which includes the tennis media, historians, industry leaders, hall members and fans. The lobby does not disclose the results of the vote.
Television broadcaster and journalist Mary Carillo, also a player, was elected in the contributor category. The induction ceremony takes place in August.
“I’ve always valued the history of tennis and the examples set by those who came before me,” Federer said. “I am deeply humbled to be recognized by the sport and my peers in this way.”
He is one of eight career Grand Slam players with eight titles at Wimbledon, six at the Australian Open, five at the U.S. Open and one at the French Open.
“I didn’t expect that I would play so many majors,” Federer once said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Honestly, at the beginning of my career, I wanted to have one.”
Federer’s first Grand Slam title was won at the All England Club in 2003. He broke Pete Sampras’ then record of 14 Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon in 2009, defeating Andy Roddick 16-14 in the fifth set of the final. Federer won his 20th title at the 2018 Australian Open.
“I really don’t feel like I’m playing to break a record,” Federer once told The Associated Press. “I play this game because I love it.”
His number of Grand Slams was eventually surpassed by Nadal and Djokovic. Nadal reached 22 before retiring at the age of 38 last year, while Djokovic was still active with 24 Grand Slams at the age of 38.
With a stellar forehand and serve, a full-court attacking style and footwork that made it all look so effortless, Federer won 103 tournaments and 1,251 singles matches, the most in the men’s game behind only Jimmy Connors in the British Open era that began in 1968.
Federer spent a record five years at the top of the ATP rankings for a record 237 consecutive weeks and a total of 310 weeks, leading Switzerland to the 2014 Davis Cup title and winning doubles gold with Stan Wawrinka at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
An ambassador for the sport, Federer, who played his final match at Wimbledon in 2021, often answered questions in English, French and Swiss German at press conferences. He was a month shy of turning 40 at the time.
He announced his retirement the following year; he played doubles with Nadal at the Laver Cup, bidding farewell to the tournament created by Federer’s management company.
Along the way, Federer has established himself as a role model for younger athletes like 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, the current world No. 1 with six Grand Slam trophies.
“He brings grace on and off the field – the way he treats others, everybody; he’s a very humble guy – everything he does is classy,” Alcaraz said. “I admire that. He takes his game to another level…that’s what I admire the most.”
At his peak, Federer reached 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals from the 2005-07 season and won 8 championships. This dominance continued into 18 of 19 Grand Slam finals; he also reached 23 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals and 36 quarterfinals.
Djokovic called the results “seemingly inhuman.”
According to Hall, Carrillo was the first woman to regularly commentate on tennis broadcasts and was a reporter for HBO’s “Real Sports.” She has won six Emmy Awards and three Peabody Awards and was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2018.
“I’m honored to share the story of this great game throughout my career,” Carrillo said, “and if I open any doors along the way, it will make this day in August that much more meaningful.”
Next year’s ballot will include Juan Martin del Potro and Svetlana Kuznetsova in the player category, while Serena Williams and Ash Barty, who both played their last games in 2022, will be eligible for the Hall of Fame for the first time.
