Roger Federer has been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, the Rhode Island-based institution announced on November 19. The 20-time Grand Slam champion is part of the Hall’s 2026 class, which also features former player and broadcaster Mary Carillo in the contributor category. Federer learned of his selection during a phone call that included tennis greats Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker.
Federer, whose career lasted two decades and featured iconic rivalries with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic—an era he called “a golden time for tennis”—was the only candidate to secure enough votes for induction, though exact voting numbers were not released.
The Swiss star claimed his first major at Wimbledon in 2003 and broke Pete Sampras’ record by 2009, reaching 15 Grand Slam titles. He ultimately collected his 20th at the 2018 Australian Open. Federer also held the world No. 1 ranking for 310 weeks, including an unmatched 237 straight, guided Switzerland to the 2014 Davis Cup title, and won doubles gold with Stan Wawrinka at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Renowned for conducting interviews in multiple languages, Federer retired after his final Wimbledon appearance in 2021, shortly before turning 40. His Hall of Fame induction further cements his status as one of the sport’s all-time greats. “I’ve always appreciated the history of tennis and the pioneers who came before me,” he told the Associated Press. “Being honored like this by the sport and my peers is profoundly humbling.”
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