Roger Federer has been officially inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, honoring his legendary career and record-breaking achievements in the sport. (Image Credit: X/ @HitoshiKo215)
Tennis Legend Roger Federer has been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and the announcement comes in his very first year of eligibility. Federer was the lone candidate in the player category to secure enough votes for induction in the Class of 2026.
That may not have come as a surprise to many of his fans, considering the extraordinary legacy of Federer. He remains the first man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles and is widely regarded as one of the most elegant and complete players in tennis history.
Federer ruled his generation with rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, an era that he once described as a "golden time for tennis." His peerless style, which combined a powerful forehand, precise serve, and smooth footwork, helped him amass 103 singles titles and 1,251 match wins.
The induction requires a player to clear a voting threshold: at least 75% approval from a panel composed of tennis historians, Hall of Famers, and journalists.
Federer also won the Class of 2026 Fan Vote, which assigns bonus points to nominees. He won a global vote, coming in ahead of legends such as Juan Martín del Potro and Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Federer's career has been a case study in consistency, excellence, and longevity. He completed his career Grand Slam by winning all four majors, including eight Wimbledon crowns, six Australian Opens, five U.S. Opens, and one French Open.
Federer also smashed records for world No. 1: he held that position for a record 237 consecutive weeks, and in all, during his career, he spent 310 weeks at No. 1.
Federer also guided Switzerland to the Davis Cup title in 2014 and took the gold medal in doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with Stan Wawrinka.
In response to the announcement, Federer expressed deep humility. He reflected on the importance of tennis history and paid tribute to those who paved the way before him.
Federer said the recognition “by my peers” and the sport itself means a great deal to him. Noting that he was looking forward to the event, he said he was “excited to visit Newport in August” for the induction celebration.
Joining Federer in the Class of 2026 is the highly respected TV commentator and former player Mary Carillo in the contributor category. Carillo has been a pioneer in sports journalism and broadcasting, particularly for her work on tennis.
