Roger Federer set to receive the ultimate honour – and he could be joined by an old friend
Roger Federer looks set to claim a prize that he has been destined to receieve for many years, after it was confirmed he is on the list of nominees to join the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion is joined by 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro and four-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the ballot’s Player Category.
With the ballot set, tennis fans around the world can now cast their ITHF Fan Voting ballots to weigh in on which Player Category nominees are deserving of Hall of Fame induction. The top three candidates will receive percentage points to their vote totals from the Official Voting Group, who will cast their ballots this fall.
Fan Voting is one of two steps in the Hall of Fame’s election process. In addition to the Fan Vote, an Official Voting Group comprised of tennis journalists, historians, and Hall of Famers, vote on the Class of 2026 ballot.
To be elected into the Hall of Fame, a candidate must receive an affirmative vote of 75% or higher on combined results of the Official Voting Group and any bonus percentage points earned in the Fan Vote. Once voting is complete, the Class of 2026 will be announced.
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Induction into the Hall of Fame is considered to be one of the great honours for any retired player, with Maria Sharapova among the inductees this year.
To highlight the significance of the event, Sharapova’s former rival Serena Williams attended her ceremony and offered up an emotional speech to honours her former foe.
There were gasps of surprise as Serena strode onto the stage and delivered a moving tribute to Sharapova, with her words meaning so much more given the challenging history between the duo.
“I know I’m probably the last person you would expect to see tonight and a few months ago, I’d have probably said the same thing,” said a smiling Williams.
“A few months Maria texted me… and asked if I would introduce her into the Hall of Fame.
“Before she even finished her question, I said yes immediately, because it’s Maria. I was honoured.
“Now let’s be real. Maria and I were once the fiercest of rivals. We had our differences. To the world, we looked miles and miles apart. But the truth is, we weren’t.
“We wanted the exact same thing at the exact same time — to be the very best. In our sport, only one person can walk away with the trophy, and what’s wrong with wanting to be your best? Nothing. In fact, it’s what drove us. That’s what made our rivalry so electric and so iconic.”
The images of Sharapova and Williams ending their long-running feud and uniting to celebrate their careers created headlines around the world and we can expect more of the same if Federer is inducted in the Hall of Fame next year.
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