Fighting tears as he delivered a “love letter” to the sport that “meant the world” to him, tennis legend Roger Federer celebrated his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.
Surrounded by tennis greats, his family and loved ones, Federer marked Saturday (29 August) evening with a lengthy speech – one which brought back wonderful memories of his glittering career, evoked laughter and at times, left many, including the Swiss, in tears.
“This is one of the greatest honours of my life,” the Olympic gold and silver medallist said.
“They call this the Hall of Fame, but fame was never the goal.
“My goal was to spend my life doing something I love… with the people who love it as much as I do.”
Having retired in September 2022, Federer was inducted following a career that saw him win 20 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record eight Wimbledon crowns.
The 45-year-old, who spent a record 310 weeks at the top of the men’s world rankings, 237 of them consecutively, was selected in his first year of eligibility.
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