This was Federer's speech upon his induction into the Hall of Fame

Roger Federer has not started his induction speech for the Hall of Fame and is already emotional. He just listened to his wife's speech for seven minutes; no one better than her to introduce the legend. Now it's his turn, an exercise in introspection that will move us more than once.

Full speech by Roger Federer upon his induction into the Hall of Fame

"Perhaps the last time I heard Mirka speak publicly was probably during our mixed doubles. We played in the Hopman Cup about 24 years ago, more or less. After one of our mixed doubles matches, we had to do an interview together. Perhaps this is the last time she spoke publicly. So this is very well done. I don’t know if you have been practicing in secret, but this is of the highest level, and it’s hard to live up to it. But I am really glad you did. Thank you very much. And I also want to make a special mention of Fred Stolle, who conducted the interview, in addition to being a member of the Hall of Fame. So that was obviously something special. I also want to mention Mary. You have been incredible. You nailed it. Incredible. So many stories, emotions, laughs... incredible. Congratulations. And congratulations to your entire team, your whole family, and all the people who have supported you along the way.

When... well, I am thrilled to have made the journey here to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. You know, this is a beautiful place and I have enjoyed every minute so far. I mean, of course, I have. There are grass courts here, my favorite surface, so I knew I was going to have a wonderful time. And the museum is simply amazing. I truly encourage everyone to come here and visit it. There is so much tennis history: rackets, trophies, iconic outfits from great champions... And I've been told they have over 25,000 items. And now I suppose I am one of them too. It's incredible to see yourself in a place like this, walking through the Hall of Fame, immersing yourself in the history of this sport. For me, it means absolutely everything. Reading the stories of my great heroes and understanding, I mean, truly understanding for the first time, that I also have a place here. This is one of the greatest honors of my life.

They call it the Hall of Fame, but fame was never the goal. My goal was to spend my life doing something I love, as Mirka said, with people who love it as much as I do. And many of those people are here today: family, friends who mean everything to me, fans who have traveled here to join us. Some of you might be out there. I've seen you before. Give me a sign! Help me out a bit. But I still feel your tremendous support after so many years. And wow, what a privilege to be here with so many legends. Sorry. There are so many legends sitting right here.

Now that we are all together, I can tell you what it really took to enter the Hall of Fame. Let's look at the numbers. Okay, not the obvious statistics, like the number of Grand Slams or the number of weeks as number one. I'm talking about the numbers that really tell a story. Between 1998, when I first joined the ATP tour, and 2022, when I retired, I used more than 5,000 headbands during my career. That's more than Borg and McEnroe combined. That's true, Johnny Mac. I think that's right. For some reason, the tour doesn't keep track of headbands, but I do. And if that sounds impressive to you, I probably used more than 7,000 pairs of socks. Probably double that of most of my rivals because I wore two pairs. And there was a moment, in my first Wimbledon match, when I was so nervous that I was even wearing three pairs of socks. I noticed that after the match. Additionally, my stringer has strung about 10,000 rackets over 25 years. That’s a bit too tight. To the stringers here, Nate, thank you, guys.

But there really is no way to measure what it means to be here. It’s hard to put into words, but I will try. I have had the privilege of jumping onto the grass of the center court at Wimbledon, of course, looking up and seeing Mirka and our four children: Myla, Charlene, Leo, and Lenny. Seeing my parents, Robbie and Lynette. Seeing my team. And looking across the net and facing some of the greatest competitors to ever play this sport. I have had the privilege of stepping onto the red clay of Roland Garros to compete in Roland Garros. The privilege of looking out at the thousands of people filling Melbourne Park during the Australian Open. And, of course, the US Open in Flushing Meadows. And Tuesday night was epic. Thank you, guys, for being a part of that. Thank you, Andy. And then, of course, the ATP Finals in Houston, Shanghai, and London. Images like these are etched in my mind and today they are part of me.

However, when I close my eyes and think and dream about the sport I love, this is what I see. I need to take a sip for this part. One second. Alright. I’m in Basel, Switzerland. I am 13 years old and the indoor tournament in Switzerland is taking place. I am not competing. I am a ball boy. I am standing against the back wall, with my hands behind my back and my eyes on the ball. I will never forget what the game looked like from there and how it felt. The thrill of being so close to the players, handing them the balls, giving them the towel, seeing them sweat, seeing them struggle. Watching them try to find solutions. The adversity. The intensity. I remember that the next morning my legs were wrecked from standing all day. It’s a lot of work. That’s why I want to sincerely thank all the ball boys who have ever been during my matches, or during any of our matches, for hours and hours. I see you.

I was one of you when I was 13 years old. By the time I was 13, I had already been in love with tennis for a decade. My parents tell me that I picked up a racket for the first time when I was three years old. My father's wooden racket. That is true. I grew up with wooden rackets and white tennis balls. That’s how old I am. And that racket was so heavy that I used to play both my backhand and forehand with two hands. Who would have known I would end up becoming a one-handed player? Is there any one-handed backhand player left in today’s tennis? Or here tonight? Good. The few proud ones that are left. Thank you.

And Switzerland was, honestly, an amazing place to grow up. My parents gave my sister Diana and me a wonderful childhood. I had so much support to do what I loved. And as a child, that meant hitting balls against the cabinets in my room, against my grandparents' garage door, and against all the walls of the tennis clubs. It meant playing soccer with my friends. I was Maradona or Zidane. I played basketball and was Jordan or Shaq. Of course, we had the Walkman on while skateboarding and biking. After all, it was the ‘80s and ‘90s. We played table tennis. We played badminton over the fence with our neighbor. For a while, I even had a cricket bat. But for me, tennis was the main event.

Tennis became the fabric of my life. My mother had a full-time job, but she found time to work in the accreditation office of the Swiss Indoors and probably did some accreditations for you. She was also the one who organized my lessons, signed me up for matches, and supported my coaches. Mom made everything possible. Thank you, mom. And she also played tennis at our local club. I've been told that my father also played. Just kidding. He knows how to take a joke. He likes to joke around. Thanks to my parents for all the time they spent with me on the court. What I remember was my father's absolute ban on playing balloons. When I played against him, he used the old continental grip, which I'm sure made me become an increasingly aggressive player. Thanks, dad. Robbie Federer, the real RF.

In our street, next to the community gardens, my friends and I used chalk to draw a court and set up a net to play mini tennis with a soft ball. We played late into the summer night or even beyond. And that word, "play," means a lot. We played tennis. We are tennis players. That is what matters to me. The feeling of playing. Yes, this sport requires work and training, but that feeling of play has always accompanied me. And when work and play mix, it’s the best feeling of all. That's why I became a professional.

I never saw myself as a professional athlete. I was simply a tennis player, and I was part of a community of tennis players and people connected to tennis. It was up to me whether I won or lost. I was the guy on the court serving, slicing, smashing, winning, losing. I loved it. But I also learned that tennis doesn't just revolve around the players. It's a whole ecosystem. It's mothers and fathers like mine, taking their kids to matches and cheering them on. It's coaches teaching kids how to win and how to get back up after losing. It's the people who sweep the courts or pick up the balls. It's young players like me, who have the opportunity to be ball boys. And, by the way, there are also line judges. That's right. When I played tennis, like all of us here, we still had line judges. And tennis is an ecosystem formed by all these people. And, of course, there are the fans.

Making sure we keep showing up, that we stay awake as night falls. And this speech is long. I hope it's not too long. I was a tennis fan before I became a player, and I still am a fan and always will be. And if you want to know how I played, you can find the answer here at the Hall of Fame or on YouTube. But if you want to know why I played, the answer is in Switzerland, on Walserstrasse, at the Old Boys Club in Basel and at Swiss Tennis in Ecublens and Biel. "Why?" is a question I've been asked many times.

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Pierre Paganini, my physical trainer and mentor, will tell you that when I was in Ecublens, I had so many questions. I mean, so many. I nearly drove Pierre crazy with my curiosity. Pierre, I thank you for surviving my time in Ecublens. Your invaluable guidance and long-term strategy helped me throughout my career. That ball boy had so much to learn. Skills and shots, endurance and strategy. And I also had to learn not to throw my racket so much. Ideally, to never throw it. Not to let my emotions take over. To find the balance between fire and ice.

And, fortunately, I had so many incredible role models. This is my personal Hall of Fame. Pierre is there. All my coaches. I’m talking about the phenomenal Peter Carter and the brilliant Peter Lundgren, two men who, unfortunately, are no longer with us. They not only helped my tennis but also helped me mature quickly while on the circuit. I love you, guys. Thank you. Also there are the legendary coaches José Higueras, Paul Annacone, and Tony Roche. I loved the time I spent with them and learned so much from their stories and experiences. And I was lucky to have my childhood hero, Stefan Edberg, by my side. It’s nothing. They are tears of happiness. Having you by my side provided me with immense personal inspiration to face the daily grind of the circuit.

And my incredible friend Rita, who helped me during an extraordinary stage while balancing her banking life with training. And also Ivan Ljubicic, who had a huge impact working with me over the past six years, in the twilight of my career. It's getting tough. I thought it was going to be easy. This... and several others. My longest-serving coach by my side. Eighteen long years together. His role in my life and career is even greater than that number. He kept me motivated when I needed motivation and protected me when I needed protection. Yes. We will move forward. I promise. Until the sun comes up, guys. Oh my God. I know your help was crucial. Thank you for all my success and for all the incredible moments we shared together.

My physiotherapists and my doctor Roland are also in my Hall of Fame. I thought I was doing really well at first. Oh, man. Okay, where do we go from here? I needed a lot of help from Roland, Danny, Steph, Gary, and Pavel. They helped strengthen a young body and keep an old body working. Thank you for all the good times and for the endless hours, guys. One by one, right? We are almost there. Thank you. Martina. Yes. Any help at this point? But this is good. Thank you.

Tony is in my Hall of Fame. And all athletes have people who help shape a career. Tony has done even more than that for over 20 years. He has helped me think big and more ambitiously about the world beyond the circuit. We have built together things that make me incredibly proud. New projects, new alliances. And along the way, the agent became a friend and the friend became family. That includes the wonderful Mary Jo, who plays a very special role.

Tony and I have had the opportunity to develop the best relationships with some of the great global brands. I just want to thank my sponsors and premium partners for believing in me. From the early days to today, and for being incredible creative partners who have over the years become friends, making life on the circuit that much more fun. Thank you, guys. And this includes people like Roy, who along with other team members have supported me with a million things over the years. Along with the numerous tournament directors and all the people who support them. The ecosystem is amazing. Thank you, guys.

Very well. My Hall of Fame also includes some official Hall of Famers, like Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg. I remember sitting on the floor of our living room watching those two play the Wimbledon finals over and over again. And, of course, there's Pete Sampras, the greatest serve of all time. What a privilege to share the court with you. Now it's your turn.

Oh, okay. And two. Not one, but two. Martina. First, Martina Hingis. Swiss like me, world number one at 16 years old. Unlike me. And Martina Navratilova. You know her for winning 59 major titles. But in our house, she is famous for inspiring the United States to play tennis.

I need tissues and sunglasses. I need anything that can protect me right now. Oh, man. Okay. Yes. Okay. My God. Now we get to the part about miracles. Oh. This is so... This is a disaster. So Martina inspired me and inspires me every day. As you know, Mirka... My wife. She is the greatest way to fall short that I can use, because she has also been my coach, my hitting partner before matches... and my reality check. She has also been my stylist. I definitely needed one back then. Maybe I still do, I don’t know. But Mirka... The person who taught me to focus more on tennis and enjoy everything else.

A wonderful mother to our four children, who makes the impossible possible in our lives. She and I hold hands and break through walls together. Thank you. Oh, God. She is all those things. And that is my Hall of Fame. Although the list of legends who paved the way is even longer. Laver, Emerson, Rosewall, Borg. McEnroe. Marc Rosset, who was like a brother to me on the tour and won the Olympic Games for Switzerland 16 years before Stan and I had the honor of doing the same. I learned from all of them and, over time, I had to find my own identity.

Okay, now it seems that everything is downhill. That evolved over time. And it meant one thing in 1998, when I became the number one junior in the world. That version of me, with bleached blond hair, which still brings me a lot of embarrassment today, meant something different. In 2022, when I played my last match in London, that version of me had 4,040 sets on its knees. And that only counts singles matches. It doesn't include doubles, qualifiers, Challengers, Futures, Satellites, or practice sets. The same knees. By the way, I still have them. And if I fall, I don't know... catch me! Okay.

But at every stage of my career, I tried, above all, to be true to myself. And I tried to show my love for the game because it really meant a lot to me. And I also wanted it to mean something to you. That it deserved your attention, that it deserved you to be there. Because people don’t have to come and watch us play. They come to be entertained, to be inspired, to feel excited. They could always decide to go somewhere else. But they chose tennis. They chose us. Wherever I played, you made me feel like I had the advantage of playing at home.

I have always wanted people to see how wonderful it is to play this sport. How wonderful it is to receive a ball hit with power. The way it spins. The sound it makes. The way it bounces. How the geometry changes as the ball approaches you and how the court itself seems to open or shrink. Tennis is something complex and beautiful. It's spectacular to watch. You define it. You see everything. You live it with us on every point.

As you know, there is a lot of pressure in tennis. A volcano of pressure. A volcano of emotions. And when the match ended, whether I won or lost, you could probably see what I felt inside. What can I say? Tennis meant the world to me. It wasn’t just about playing. It wasn’t just about winning. It was about creating something new. It’s a mindset I have. I used to play certain volleys. I had a transition game. Sometimes I played well behind the baseline or just above it. And I even tried to sneak up on my opponents on the return. Today some call it "know-how." This was what mattered to me on the court.

But a large part of what really mattered happened off the court. The camaraderie in the locker room. The guys playing cards with the team until the last second before matches. Laughing with everyone, even with my opponent. Sometimes, many of us have become friends due to the experiences and battles we’ve shared on the court, which connect us for a lifetime. Those are some of the best memories of playing on the circuit.

But there’s another kind of game. The one that happens with friends and especially with family. Family. Again. Okay. With Mirka, we started... We started doing things like playing video games and partying. Oh, yes. And having late dinners with friends. Then everything changed to changing diapers and staying in hotels with elevators big enough for two strollers. And telling bedtime stories to the kids. Myla, Charlene, Leo, and Lenny. You definitely changed our lives. You inspire us and make us... You inspire us and make us happy every day. Thank you, guys.

Our family has traveled together all over the world, but we always return to our home country: Switzerland. It has always been an immense honor to represent the Swiss flag. And tonight, tonight, when my name enters the Hall of Fame... You don’t have to laugh about it tonight. When my name enters the Hall of Fame, I am proud that Switzerland comes with me. It has been an incredible journey.

For me, the International Tennis Hall of Fame offers a great opportunity to look back, but also to look forward. As you can see, I am still writing my love letter to tennis. My career as a player has ended, but tennis will always be at the intersection of everything that matters most to me: my family, our friendships, the last 40 years, and the future we are building. Tennis is responsible for all of it for me. So this is not a goodbye.

But before I finish, I want to share my wishes for this sport. The International Tennis Hall of Fame showcases the evolution of tennis, and I feel honored to be a part of it. And I am incredibly fortunate to have acted as a bridge between generations. From Pete and Andre, the superstars, to champions of my own generation like Roddick, Hewitt, Stefan, and Ferrero. To the epic rivalries I had with the next generation: Andy, Novak, and Rafa. We all will leave the court one day. But the sport continues to evolve.

And as the pace of professional tennis accelerates, as the sport becomes even more global, I sincerely hope it retains some of that amateur spirit. That it maintains the camaraderie among players. I hope players continue to be young at heart and true to themselves. And that they always remember: never stop asking questions or taking risks. Do things with the game that we've never seen before. Keep taking this sport we love to the next level. And keep improving, improving, and improving.

And I hope that, yes, we keep it alive. Come on. For future generations, guys. Let's do it. And I hope you find other ways to give back to the sport, to share your passion. There are thousands of ways to do it. In my case, it was creating a foundation that works in southern Africa, where my mother is from, and in Switzerland, where my father is from. My team and I also created the Laver Cup to honor the legends of all generations.

And to all of you here, I hope you are a bridge between the tennis played at the ATP, WTA, ITF level, and all the Grand Slams, and the tennis played when the sun sets on a quiet street. Like Walserstrasse, where I grew up. The tennis that is played everywhere, from Switzerland to South Africa, Slovakia, India, and Brazil. Anywhere kids draw courts on the streets with chalk, like I used to. Where they hit against the walls with their rackets. Where parents take their kids to practice. Where coaches work and fans show up under a blazing sun or in intense cold. Where ball kids have one knee on the ground and are ready to move. I will always see this sport through their eyes.

So... this guy from Basel thanks you for this incredible honor. And I thank all of you for sharing the journey that has united us.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Así fue el discurso de Federer en su ingreso al Salón de la Fama