‘This Boy From Basel’: Roger Federer’s Emotional Speech After Tennis Hall Of Fame Induction - Watch

Roger Federer fought back tears multiple times as the 20-time Grand Slam champion was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, on Saturday, capping an emotional ceremony in which he reflected on his remarkable career and the people who shaped his journey.

Federer was inducted alongside former player and broadcaster Mary Carillo during the ceremony at the Hall of Fame's historic Horseshoe Court. His wife, Mirka, introduced him before he took the stage for a nearly 30-minute speech.

“Oh man. This is very high level and a tough act to follow.”

Federer joked about following Mirka's presentation before turning to the significance of the honour.

“This is one of the greatest ⁠honours of my life,” Federer 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 people who love it as much ‌as I do.”

The Swiss great became emotional while recalling his childhood hero, Stefan Edberg, describing the tears as “happy tears”. He later struggled to hold back his emotions while speaking about longtime coach Severin Luthi.

As he tried to regain his composure, Federer told the crowd: “I need tissues and sunglasses, everything to protect me right now.”

The former world No. 1 also reflected on what tennis had meant to him beyond the trophies and records that defined his career.

“Tennis meant the world to me. Not just playing, not just winning, but creating something new,” he said.

Federer was known for constantly evolving his game and recalled experimenting with different styles, including serve-and-volley tennis, playing close to the baseline and moving forward aggressively on returns.

“It’s a mentality I have. I used ‌to play serve and volley, I had a transition game, I played way beyond the baseline sometimes, or on top of the baseline. And I would even try to sneak up on my opponents on my return, and some call it the SABR (Sneak Attack by ‌Roger) today.”

The most emotional moment came when Federer began talking about Mirka, who was a constant presence throughout his playing career.

“Now the Mirka part,” he said, before breaking down in tears. “Oh gosh, this such a mess.”

He stressed that some of the most meaningful aspects of his journey happened away from the court.

“This is what was important to me on the court, but so ​much of what was really important happened off the court.”

Federer thanked his coaches, doctors, family and friends before reflecting on the privilege of competing across different generations of tennis stars. He specifically mentioned Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Federer's career included eight Wimbledon titles, six Australian Open crowns, five US Open trophies and one French Open title. He completed the career Grand Slam and became the first male player to reach 20 Grand Slam singles titles.

He finished his career with 103 ATP Tour titles and spent 310 weeks at the top of the ATP rankings, including a record 237 consecutive weeks as world No. 1.

Despite the ceremony being a celebration of his achievements, Federer used his speech to look towards the future of tennis and urged the next generation to preserve the sport's spirit while continuing to innovate.

“We all leave the court eventually, ⁠but the sport keeps evolving,” said Federer. “And as the pace of professional tennis speeds up, as ⁠the sport becomes even more global, I so hope it will keep some of that amateur spirit. Keep the camaraderie among the players.”

“I hope the players will stay ‌young at heart and stay true to their authentic selves, and always remember, never stop asking questions or taking risks.”

“Do things with the game, we’ve never seen before. Keep pushing ​this sport we love to the next level and keep getting better, better, and better.”

Federer also made clear that retirement had not ended his relationship with the sport.

“I’m still writing my love letter to tennis, and my time as a player is done but tennis will always stand at the intersection of everything I care most about.

“My family, our friendships, the past 40 years, the future we’re building – tennis, for me, is responsible for it all. So, this is not a goodbye.”

The Swiss legend said the opportunity to become part of the Hall of Fame's history meant a great deal to him.

“I’m thrilled to have made the journey here,” he said. “It’s amazing to see yourself in a place like this. To immerse yourself in the history of the sport means a lot to me.”

Federer also reflected on his good fortune to have shared the sport with players from several generations, while emphasising that his legacy was about more than his achievements on the court.

“This boy from Basel thanks you for the incredible honour,” Federer said. “And I thank you - all of you - for sharing the journey that brought us together."

Mary Carillo Also Inducted

Federer was inducted alongside Mary Carillo, who entered the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the contributor category. Carillo was a former professional player before building a distinguished career in sports broadcasting.

Hall of Famer Billie Jean King presented Carillo during the ceremony.

“She has earned her spot in sports journalism and she has earned her spot in Newport,” King said.

Carillo, who is also a member of the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, said the honour was beyond what she had imagined.

“To walk through these gates here in the company of you people, that was beyond my dreams,” she said.

The ceremony was attended by family, friends, fans and 33 Hall of Famers, as Federer and Carillo joined the prestigious list of inductees as its 271st and 272nd members.