Roger Federer leads the listing of nominees introduced Wednesday for the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame’s class of 2026. He was the primary man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles and ushered in an period of unprecedented greatness with youthful rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
With a terrific forehand and serve, an attacking, all-court model and footwork that helped make all the things appear so easy, Federer gained 103 trophies and 1,251 matches in singles, totals surpassed amongst males solely by Jimmy Connors within the Open period, which started in 1968.
Federer completed 5 seasons at No. 1 within the ATP rankings, spent a document 237 consecutive weeks in that spot, led Switzerland to the 2014 Davis Cup title and teamed with Stan Wawrinka to assert a doubles gold medal on the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Federer reached 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals
On the top of his powers, Federer reached a document 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals from 2005-07, capturing eight titles in that span; he prolonged that dominance by making 18 of 19 main finals into 2010. There additionally have been streaks of 36 quarterfinals in a row and 23 straight semifinals.
Federer, an envoy for the sport who usually spoke in English, French and Swiss German at information conferences, performed his final match at Wimbledon in 2021. He was a month shy of 40 on the time.
His retirement announcement did not come till the next 12 months, and he bid farewell with an look alongside Nadal in doubles on the Laver Cup, an occasion his administration firm based.
Svetlana Kuznetsova, Juan Martin del Potro additionally on poll
Federer is joined within the Corridor’s participant class on the poll by two-time main singles champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and 2009 U.S. Open winner Juan Martin del Potro. There are two nominees within the contributor class: TV announcer Mary Carillo and administrator Marshall Happer.
The inductees can be introduced in November.
Federer is amongst eight males with no less than one singles trophy from every of the game’s 4 most essential occasions, successful eight at Wimbledon, six on the Australian Open, 5 on the U.S. Open and one on the French Open. He accomplished his profession Grand Slam at Roland-Garros in 2009.
His first main championship got here on the All England Membership in 2003, and he broke Pete Sampras’ then-record for a person of 14 Slam titles by successful Wimbledon in 2009, defeating Andy Roddick 16-14 within the fifth set of the ultimate.
Federer gained 20 Grand Slam titles. Djokovic has 24, Nadal retired with 22
Finally, Federer was overtaken within the Grand Slam standings by Nadal, who retired final 12 months at age 38 with 22, and Djokovic, who’s nonetheless energetic at 38 with 24.
“I at all times say it’s fantastic to be a part of that selective group,” he mentioned concerning the so-called Massive Three in a 2021 interview with The Related Press. “How will you examine? What’s higher? To win if you’re outdated or if you’re younger? I do not know, you realize. Is it higher to win on clay or grass? Don’t know. Is it higher to have tremendous dominant years or come again from harm? I don’t know. It truly is inconceivable to know.”
Federer’s run of 5 consecutive U.S. Opens — no man has gained two in a row there since — ended within the 2009 ultimate with a five-set loss to del Potro. On the time, del Potro was not fairly 21 and appeared destined for an elite profession thanks partially to his booming forehand, however a sequence of wrist and knee accidents derailed the 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) Argentine.
He ended up with 22 tour-level titles and a career-high rating of No. 3, whereas reaching one different Grand Slam ultimate, ending as the runner-up to Djokovic on the 2018 U.S. Open. Del Potro earned a silver medal on the 2016 Rio Olympics and helped Argentina win the Davis Cup that 12 months. His final look at a significant event was a fourth-round run on the 2019 French Open.
Kuznetsova gained main trophies in singles on the 2004 U.S. Open and 2009 French Open, and in doubles on the Australian Open on 2005 and 2012, acquired to No. 2 within the WTA rankings in singles and No. 3 in doubles, and was a part of three championships with Russia within the competitors now often called the Billie Jean King Cup. Kuznetsova gained 18 tour-level occasions in singles and 16 in doubles.
