This may come as no shock to anybody who has paid any consideration over the previous quarter century. Roger Federer has been inducted into the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame in his first yr of eligibility, the Rhode Island-based Corridor of Fame introduced Wednesday.
The primary man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles, a part of an unprecedented period of greatness with rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, and what Federer referred to as the “Golden Age of Tennis,” he was the one candidate with sufficient assist within the Corridor’s Class of 2026 participant class. Corridor has not disclosed the outcomes of the vote.
Mary Carrillo, a tv announcer and journalist who was additionally an athlete, was chosen within the Contributor class. The doorway ceremony might be held in August.
“I’ve all the time valued the historical past of tennis and the instance set by those that got here earlier than me,” Federer mentioned. “It’s extremely humbling to be acknowledged on this approach by the sports activities neighborhood and my friends.”
He’s considered one of eight male gamers to have a profession Grand Slam, profitable Wimbledon eight instances, the Australian Open six instances, the US Open 5 instances and the French Open as soon as.
“I by no means anticipated to play in so many main tournaments,” Federer as soon as mentioned in an interview with The Related Press. “Actually, within the early levels of my profession, I most likely wished to have it.”
Federer received his first Grand Slam title on the All England Membership in 2003 and at Wimbledon in 2009, defeating Andy Roddick 16-14 within the fifth set of the ultimate, breaking Pete Sampras’ file of 14 males’s main titles on the time. Federer received his twentieth Australian Open title in 2018.
“I do not actually really feel like I am enjoying for information,” Federer as soon as instructed the Related Press. “I play this recreation as a result of I like it.”
His Grand Slam whole was finally surpassed by Nadal, who accomplished 22 earlier than retiring at age 38 final yr, and Djokovic, who accomplished 24 and remains to be energetic at age 38.
With unbelievable forehands and serves, an aggressive all-court type, and footwork that every one seemed easy, Federer received 103 singles tournaments and 1,251 matches, a complete surpassed solely by Jimmy Connors within the Open Period, which started in 1968, within the males’s recreation.
Federer completed his fifth yr at No. 1 within the ATP Rankings, spending a file 237 consecutive weeks on the high and a complete of 310 weeks, main Switzerland to the 2014 Davis Cup title and profitable the doubles gold medal with Stan Wawrinka on the 2008 Olympics.
Federer, who’s an envoy for the sport and sometimes solutions questions in English, French and Swiss German at press conferences, performed his final match at Wimbledon in 2021. On the time, he was one month away from turning 40.
His retirement announcement was made the next yr. He bid farewell by enjoying doubles with Nadal on the Laver Cup, an occasion established by Federer’s administration firm.
Alongside the best way, Federer has established himself as a task mannequin for youthful athletes like Carlos Alcaraz, 22, the present world No. 1 who owns six Grand Slam trophies.
“The grace he confirmed on and off the courtroom, the best way he handled individuals and everybody, he was only a actually humble man — he has grace in every thing he does,” Alcaraz mentioned. “I admire it. He took the sport to a different degree…that is what I like essentially the most.”
At his peak, Federer reached a file 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals from 2005 to 2007, profitable eight instances. That dominance prolonged to reaching the finals of 18 of the 19 tournaments. He additionally had a streak of 23 semifinals and 36 quarterfinals in main tournaments.
Djokovic referred to as them “inhuman outcomes.”
Carrillo was the primary lady to repeatedly commentate on tennis broadcasts and was a correspondent for HBO’s “Actual Sports activities,” the Corridor mentioned. She has received six Emmy Awards, three Peabody Awards, and was inducted into the Sports activities Broadcasting Corridor of Fame in 2018.
“I have been honored to spend my profession sharing the story of this nice recreation, and if I can open some doorways within the course of, it can make today in August much more significant,” Carrillo mentioned.
Subsequent yr’s voting will embody holdovers Juan Martin del Potro and Svetlana Kuznetsova within the participant class, whereas Serena Williams and Ashleigh Barty, who performed their final video games in 2022, will qualify for the Corridor for the primary time.
