A Career Like No Other
Roger Federer officially joined the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday in Newport, Rhode Island, capping a journey that began when a 13-year-old boy worked as a ball boy at a tournament in his hometown of Basel, Switzerland. Federer, who turns 46 this year, retired in 2022 after accumulating 20 Grand Slam singles titles, eight of them at Wimbledon, the most by any man in that tournament's history. He also claimed six Australian Open crowns, five US Open titles, and one French Open championship.
Greats of the game including Billie Jean King and John McEnroe were on hand to witness the moment. "This is one of the greatest honours of my life," Federer told the crowd. He added that fame had never been his driving force, saying his true goal was always to devote his life to something he genuinely loved.
Tears, Laughs, and Unforgettable Numbers
Federer was visibly emotional throughout his speech, wiping away tears as he thanked his wife Mirka, his childhood idol Stefan Edberg, and every ball kid who had ever worked his matches. He also brought some levity to the occasion, sharing a few memorable statistics. Over his professional career, he wore more than 5,000 headbands and an estimated 7,000 pairs of socks, the latter figure inflated by his habit of doubling them up.
Beyond the humor, Federer spoke about the privilege of competing alongside multiple generations of champions, from Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt through to Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. He closed by describing tennis as "responsible for it all" in his life, from family bonds to lifelong friendships.
TennisDraw users had consistently ranked Federer among the most bracket-defining players of any era, and moments like this ceremony are a reminder of exactly why.
