Roger Federer has said it is a “tremendous honour” after it was confirmed he will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) next year.
The 44-year-old will be inducted during a celebration next August in Newport, Rhode Island, the ITHF confirmed on Wednesday.
The Swiss player, who retired in 2022, won 20 Grand Slam tournaments during his illustrious career, becoming the first male player to reach the milestone.
Federer said in a statement shared by the ITHF: “It’s a tremendous honour to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and to stand alongside so many of the game’s great champions.
“To be recognised in this way by the sport and by my peers is deeply humbling.
“Throughout my career, I’ve always valued the history of tennis and the example set by those who came before me.”
Federer won 103 titles and spent 310 weeks of his career at the top of the rankings during an incredibly competitive era, notably enjoying an intense rivalry with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
The 44-year-old held the world No. 1 ranking for a record 237 weeks straight between 2004 and 2008 and is one of only eight men to achieve a career Grand Slam.
Players are required to be five years removed from playing a significant role in the sport to enter its Hall of Fame, which currently has 270 members.
Federer is therefore the first of the ‘Big Three’ to be inducted, with Djokovic still playing and Nadal retiring in 2024.
“I do believe the tennis Hall of Fame should be much bigger,” Federer said in an interview after receiving a phone call confirming his induction.
“The next years are going to be absolutely stacked with absolute legends.”