Roger Federer tops the nominees announced Wednesday for the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s 2026 class. He was the first man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles, heralding an era of excellence alongside Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Federer’s impressive forehand, serve, all-court style, and effortless footwork led him to win 103 trophies and 1,251 singles matches, second only to Jimmy Connors in the Open era. He finished five seasons as the ATP No. 1, held the top spot for a record 237 consecutive weeks, led Switzerland to the 2014 Davis Cup title, and won a doubles gold medal with Stan Wawrinka at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
At his peak, Federer reached 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals from 2005-07, winning eight. He extended this by making
18 of 19 major finals until 2010, with streaks of 36 quarterfinals and 23 semifinals. An ambassador for tennis, Federer often communicated in English, French, and Swiss German. He played his last match at Wimbledon in 2021, retiring the following year after playing doubles with Nadal at the Laver Cup.
Joining Federer on the Hall’s ballot are Svetlana Kuznetsova, a two-time major singles champion, and 2009 U.S. Open winner Juan Martin del Potro. In the contributor category are TV announcer Mary Carillo and administrator Marshall Happer. Inductees will be announced in November.
Federer is one of eight men with singles titles from all four major events, winning eight at Wimbledon, six at the Australian Open, five at the U.S. Open, and one at the French Open, completing his career Grand Slam at Roland-Garros in 2009. His first major title was at Wimbledon in 2003, breaking Pete Sampras’ record by winning the 2009 Wimbledon final against Andy Roddick.
Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles was later surpassed by Nadal, who retired with 22, and Djokovic, who remains active with 24. In a 2021 interview, Federer reflected on the difficulty of comparing achievements among the “Big Three.”
Federer’s five consecutive U.S. Open titles ended with a 2009 final loss to del Potro, then 21 and poised for a stellar career until wrist and knee injuries hindered him. Del Potro won 22 titles, reached a career-high ranking of No. 3, and earned a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, helping Argentina win the Davis Cup the same year. His last major tournament appearance was at the 2019 French Open.
Kuznetsova won singles titles at the 2004 U.S. Open and 2009 French Open and doubles titles at the Australian Open in 2005 and 2012. She reached No. 2 in singles and No. 3 in doubles rankings, and was part of three Billie Jean King Cup-winning teams with Russia.
