Roger Federer, the 45-year-old icon of tennis, was visibly moved during his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday. As the sun set over the grass horseshoe court at the Newport venue, Federer arrived in a tan suit to accept his place as the 272nd inductee. After being introduced by his wife, Mirka, he embraced her before stepping to the microphone, where he immediately noted the difficulty of the moment, remarking, “Oh man, this is very high level and a tough act to follow.”
The ceremony marked a significant milestone for the first player to secure 20 Grand Slam singles titles. Federer, who celebrated his 45th birthday three weeks ago, joked with his wife, saying, “I don’t know if you have been practicing secretly,” before praising her presentation. During the event, he admitted to the crowd that he felt “a little stressed,” a sentiment he shared earlier during the Hall’s inaugural red-carpet show on center court.
Throughout his nearly 30-minute address, the “Swiss Maestro” struggled to maintain his composure. He became particularly emotional halfway through his speech while discussing his childhood hero, Stefan Edberg, describing his tears as “happy” ones. He was brought to tears again when speaking about his longtime coach, Severin Luthi, and when he turned his attention to thanking Mirka for her support. “Now the Mirka part,” he said, pausing as he wept. “Oh gosh, this is such a mess. I need tissues and sunglasses, everything to protect me right now.”
Despite the emotional interruptions, Federer reflected on his storied career, which includes eight Wimbledon titles, six Australian Opens, and one French Open victory in 2009. He also held the world No. 1 ranking for a record 237 consecutive weeks. “I’m thrilled to have made the journey here,” he told the audience. “It’s amazing to see yourself in a place like this. To immerse yourself in the history of the sport means a lot to me.”
He concluded his speech by acknowledging the ball boys and encouraging current players to push the sport to new heights, mirroring the resilience he showed during his five consecutive U.S. Open titles between 2004 and 2008. Alongside Federer, broadcaster and former player Mary Carillo was inducted as a contributor.
Billie Jean King, who presented Carillo, praised her impact on the sport, stating, “She has earned her spot in sports journalism and she has earned her spot in Newport.” The 69-year-old Carillo, a member of the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, expressed her gratitude while standing before the gathered legends. “To walk through these gates here in the company of you people, that was beyond my dreams,” she said. The report also notes that the 45-year-old Federer, dressed in a tan suit, strolled up to the stage for his speech, kissed and hugged his wife, Mirka, who had just introduced him, and realized what a challenge it was going to be, as sunset crept in at Newport’s grass horseshoe court at the entrance of the Hall. The report also notes that 1 player in the ATP rankings, chocked up a handful of times.
