Roger Federer breaks down in tears at Hall of Fame induction, thanks Mirka and team

Roger Federer was overcome with emotion several times during his International Tennis Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island, as the 20-time Grand Slam champion reflected on his family, coaches and the people who shaped his extraordinary career.

Federer, formally inducted on Saturday, struggled to hold back tears even before beginning his speech after his wife, Mirka, introduced him. The 45-year-old repeatedly paused during his nearly 30-minute address, joking at one point that his tears could keep him talking until sunrise.

The most emotional moment came when Federer turned towards Mirka.

“Now the Mirka part,” he said before breaking down again.

“Oh gosh, this is such a mess,” Federer said as he tried to regain his composure, later joking that he needed “tissues and sunglasses” to get through the speech.

Federer described Mirka as one of the most important people in both his personal life and career, saying they had faced challenges together.

“She and I grab each other’s hands, and we run through walls,” he said.

Mirka recalls Federer’s journey from zero titles

Mirka took Federer back to the beginning of their relationship at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, when he had yet to win an ATP Tour title.

She eventually watched him win 103 tour-level titles, including 20 Grand Slam championships.

She also recalled helping Federer warm up before matches early in his career. Recalling one humorous episode, Mirka said Andy Roddick joked after losing to Federer in a Cincinnati final that he could not believe he had been beaten by a player whose girlfriend had helped warm him up.

Federer remembers those behind his success

Federer became emotional while talking about his childhood idol and former coach Stefan Edberg, as well as the numerous coaches and team members who supported him throughout his career.

He paid tribute to the late Peter Carter and Peter Lundgren and struggled to maintain his composure while thanking longtime coach and confidant Severin Lüthi.

Rather than focusing on his remarkable statistics, Federer used much of his speech to recall personal memories that shaped his relationship with tennis.

He remembered serving as a 13-year-old ball boy at the Swiss Indoors in Basel and watching professional players up close, years before he became one of the sport’s biggest stars.

Federer also recalled picking up his father’s wooden racquet when he was three and credited his parents, Robert and Lynette, for their influence during his childhood.

The Swiss great called his Hall of Fame induction “one of the greatest honours” of his life but said recognition was never what motivated him.

“Fame was never the goal,” Federer said, explaining that he simply wanted to spend his life doing something he loved alongside people who shared his passion.

Federer’s extraordinary career

Federer retired from professional tennis in September 2022 after playing his final competitive match at the Laver Cup in London, partnering longtime rival Rafael Nadal in doubles.

He finished his career with 20 Grand Slam singles titles, 103 tour-level singles trophies, 1,251 match wins and 310 weeks as world No. 1.

His 237 consecutive weeks at the top of the rankings remain a record. Federer won Wimbledon eight times, the Australian Open six times, the US Open five times and completed the career Grand Slam with his French Open triumph in 2009.

But his Hall of Fame speech focused far more on gratitude than statistics.

Reflecting on his journey from Basel to the top of world tennis, Federer described himself as the “boy from Basel” whose love for the sport never faded.

And while the ceremony marked another milestone after the end of his playing career, Federer made clear that he did not see it as a final farewell.

“This is not a goodbye,” he said.