The first man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles, and part of an era of unprecedented greatness with rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic – during what Federer called “a golden age for tennis” – he was the only candidate to receive enough support in the player category for the Hall class of 2026. The Hall does not announce voting results.
TV announcer and journalist Mary Carillo, who was also a player, was chosen in the contributor category. The induction ceremony is in August.
“I have always appreciated the history of tennis and the example of those who came before me,” Federer said. “It is deeply humbling to be recognized in this way by the sport and by my peers.”
Roger Federer plays a backhand against Japan’s Kei Nishikori at Wimbledon 2019. File | Photo credit: Getty Images
He is one of eight men with a Grand Slam career, having won eight championships at Wimbledon, six at the Australian Open, five at the US Open and one at the French Open.
“I didn’t expect to have so many majors,” Federer once said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I was hoping to maybe have one, to be honest, at the very beginning of my career.”
Stellar career
Federer’s first Slam title came at the All England Club in 2003, and he broke Pete Sampras’ then record for a man of 14 major titles by winning Wimbledon in 2009, beating Andy Roddick 16-14 in the fifth set of the final. Federer achieved his twentieth place finish at the 2018 Australian Open.
“I don’t really feel like I’m playing for the records,” Federer once told the BBC AP. “I play this game because I enjoy it.”
Federer in action during the celebrity doubles practice match at the Shanghai Masters in October 2025 | Photo credit: Reuters
His Grand Slam tally was eventually surpassed by Nadal, who turned 22 before retiring last year at age 38, and Djokovic, who has 24 and is still active at 38.
Effortless
With a great forehand and serve, an attacking, all-court style and footwork that made everything seem so effortless, Federer won 103 tournaments and 1,251 singles matches, totals eclipsed in men’s play only by Jimmy Connors in the Open era, which began in 1968.
Federer finished five years at No. 1 in the ATP rankings, spent a record 237 consecutive weeks and a total of 310 weeks at the top spot, led Switzerland to the 2014 Davis Cup title and teamed with Stan Wawrinka for a doubles gold medal at the 2008 Olympics.
An ambassador of the game who often answered questions at press conferences in English, French and Swiss German, Federer played his last match at Wimbledon in 2021, when he was a month shy of 40.
His retirement announcement came the following year; he said goodbye by playing doubles alongside Nadal at the Laver Cup, an event that Federer’s management company founded.
Model for young people
Along the way, Federer established himself as a model for younger athletes such as Carlos Alcaraz, 22, the current No. 1 who owns six Slam trophies.
“The grace he has shown on the court, off the court – how he treated people, everyone; a very humble man – everything he does, he does with grace,” Alcaraz said. “I appreciate that. He took the game to another level… that’s what I admire the most.”
At the height of his powers, Federer reached a record ten consecutive Grand Slam finals between 2005 and 2007, winning eight of them. That dominance extended to appearances in 18 of the 19 Slam finals; he also compiled streaks of 23 semifinals and 36 quarterfinals at majors.
Djokovic has called these “results that did not seem human.”
Maria Carillo honored
According to the Hall, Carillo was the first woman to regularly commentate on tennis broadcasts and was a correspondent for HBO’s “Real Sports.” She has won six Emmy Awards and three Peabody Awards and was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2018.
“I have been privileged to spend my career sharing the stories of this beautiful game,” Carillo said, “and if I have opened doors along the way, it will make this day in August even more meaningful.”
Next year’s voting will include remaining Juan Martin del Potro and Svetlana Kuznetsova in the player category, while Serena Williams and Ash Barty, who both played their final matches in 2022, will be eligible for the Hall for the first time.
Published – Nov 19, 2025 4:30 PM IST
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