It is common to see Roger Federer get emotional on the court, but it was rare to see him so vulnerable with a microphone in his hand. The 20-time Grand Slam champion gave a tearful speech during his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Following a moving introduction by his wife, Mirka, the 45-year-old sports legend broke down several times during his nearly 30-minute speech. He spoke about his love for tennis and thanked the people who supported his journey.
Federer started with a warm smile and joked about how hard it was to speak right after Mirka. “Oh man,” he said. “This is a tough act to follow. I don’t know if you have been practising secretly… I was a little stressed, to be honest.”
However, his composure did not last long. As he spoke about his childhood idol, Stefan Edberg, tears began to stream down his face. He had to pause and reassure the laughing audience that these were happy tears.
The emotions grew even stronger when he spoke about his family and team, especially Mirka, who backed him throughout a career that included 103 ATP titles and 310 weeks as World No. 1. Overcome with emotion, he paused to collect himself.
“Now the Mirka part… Oh gosh, this is such a mess,” he said. “I need tissues and sunglasses and everything to protect me right now.”
Roger Federer’s COMPLETE @TennisHalloFame Induction speech.
Stop what you are doing and enjoy this half an hour. pic.twitter.com/lQDE7LfhkK
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 30, 2026
He also thanked the ball kids, remembering his own early days in Basel: “I see you. I thank you. I was you.”
Reflecting on his historic achievements, including eight Wimbledon titles and five straight US Open trophies, Federer shared that fame was never his main goal. Instead, he simply wanted to spend his life doing what he loved alongside great people.
He closed his speech with a comforting message for fans. “As you can tell, I’m still writing my love letter to tennis,” he said, promising that while his playing days are over, his connection to the sport will last forever.
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