Roger Federer has become the latest player to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
The Swiss legend was introduced at the ceremony by his wife Mirka, with many fellow legends in attendance in Newport, Rhode Island.
A 103-time ATP champion and former world number one, Federer spoke in detail at the ceremony, including a brief message on his hopes for the future of tennis.
READ MORE: Novak Djokovic sends message to Roger Federer after his induction into the Tennis Hall of Fame
Roger Federer shares his hope for the future of tennis
An emotional Federer commented: “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, but before I close, I want to share my hopes for this sport.
“The International Tennis Hall of Fame shows the evolution of tennis, and I’m honored to be part of that, and I’m incredibly lucky to have bridged the generations from Pete [Sampras] and Andre [Agassi], the superstars, to champions my own age, like [Andy] Roddick, [Lleyton] Hewitt, [Marat] Safin, and [Juan Carlos] Ferrero.
“To the epic rivalries I had with the next generation: Andy [Murray], Novak [Djokovic], and Rafa [Nadal]. We all leave the court eventually, but the sport keeps evolving.
“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 the sport we love to the next level, and keep getting better, better, and better.”
It’s a powerful message from Federer, who continues to inspire the sport that he has already done so much for, on and off the court.
Who is the greatest male tennis player of all time?
Roger Federer reacts to ‘amazing’ Hall of Fame induction
Federer is third in the all-time men’s Grand Slam singles titles list with 20, just behind Djokovic’s 24 and Nadal’s 22.
And he joins Jimmy Connors and Djokovic as the only players to have claimed 100 or more career ATP titles.
Reacting to his inevitable induction, the Swiss icon said: “It’s amazing to see yourself in a place like this, to walk through the Hall of Fame, to immerse myself in the history of the sport.
“That means everything to me. To read the stories of my greatest heroes and to realize… I mean, to truly realize for the first time that I have a place here.
“This is one of the greatest honors of my life. They call this the Hall of Fame, but fame was never the goal.
“My goal was to spend my life doing something I love, like what Mirka said, with the people who love it as much as I do.
“So many of those people are here today. Family, friends who mean everything to me, fans who have traveled here to join us.”
It is a very well-deserved honor for the 45-year-old, who will go down as not only one of the greatest tennis players ever, but one of the greatest sports stars ever.
Epitomizing his epic career, the iconic figure claimed his first Grand Slam title in 2003 and his last in 2018.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
