4 min readUpdated: Aug 30, 2026 09:46 AM IST
Four years have passed since he hung up his boots, but Roger Federer affirmed that he is not done writing his “love letter” to tennis. Federer turned emotional during his speech on the occasion of his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, on Saturday.
The 45-year-old Federer, who was inducted alongside broadcaster and journalist Mary Carillo, reflected on his storied career in a speech that brought him to tears a few times. “This is one of the greatest honours of my life,” said Federer. “They call this the Hall of Fame, but fame was never the goal.
“It’s amazing to see yourself in a place like this, to walk through the Hall of Fame, to immerse myself in the history of this sport. That means everything to me,” Federer said. “To read the stories of my greatest heroes and to realise, I mean to truly realise for the first time, that I have a place here. This is one of the greatest honours of my life.”
What an incredible evening spent honouring not only a phenomenal player, but a phenomenal person, @rogerfederer, as he’s inducted into the @TennisHalloFame ♥️#InductionCelebration #CloserToGreatness pic.twitter.com/iq6TbRiSo8
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 30, 2026
“We play tennis, we’re tennis players. That for me is what it’s about: the sense of play,” Federer said. “Yes, this sport takes work and practice. But the sense of play always carried me through. And when the work and play blend together, that’s the best feeling of all.”
The 20-time Grand Slam champion who spent 310 weeks as the World No. 1 during his career, took attention back to his hometown, Basel, where he first served as a ball boy as a 13-year-old.
“I’m standing against the back wall, hands behind me, eyes on the ball. I’ll never forget how the game looked from there and how it felt,” Federer said. “The thrill of standing so close to the players, feeding them the ball, handing them the towel, seeing them sweat, watching them fight it out, figure it out — the adversity, the intensity. I remember the next morning, my legs were gone. Standing all day is a lot of work.”
The Swiss legend, celebrated widely as the greatest male tennis player for his aesthetic perfection with the racquet, stressed that innovation was at the core of his love for the sport.
“Tennis meant the world to me. Not just playing, not just winning, but creating something new,” said Federer, who retired with 103 ATP Tour titles.
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“It’s a mentality I have. I used to play serve and volley, I had a transition game, I played way beyond the baseline sometimes, or on top of the baseline. And I would even try to sneak up on my opponents on my return, and some call it the SABR (Sneak Attack by Roger) today.
“This is what was important to me on the court, but so much of what was really important happened off the court.”
The record eight-time Wimbledon champion said that his induction to the Hall of Fame was also an opportunity to look forward.
“We all leave the court eventually, but the sport keeps evolving,” said Federer. “And as the pace of professional tennis speeds up, as the sport becomes even more global, I so hope it will keep some of that amateur spirit. Keep the camaraderie among the players.
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“I hope the players will stay young at heart and stay true to their authentic selves, and always remember, never stop asking questions or taking risks,” he added.
– With Reuters inputs