New Delhi : Tennis legend Roger Federer described his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame as one of the greatest honours of his life, saying it was an amazing experience to immerse himself in the history of the sport, according to the ATP.
"It's amazing to see yourself in a place like this, to walk through the Hall of Fame, to immerse myself in the history of this sport. That means everything to me," Federer said after being inducted on Saturday evening.
Reflecting on the moment, Federer said it was special to read the stories of his greatest heroes and realise that he now had a place in the Hall of Fame alongside them.
"To read the stories of my greatest heroes and to realise, I mean to truly realise for the first time, that I have a place here. This is one of the greatest honours of my life,"
he said.
Federer also spoke about his enduring love for tennis, stressing that the "sense of play" remained central to his journey despite the hard work and practice required at the highest level.
"We play tennis; we're tennis players. That for me is what it's about: the sense of play. Yes, this sport takes work and practice. But the sense of play always carried me through," Federer said, as quoted by the ATP website.
He added that the combination of hard work and enjoyment made tennis particularly rewarding. "But when the work and play blend together, that's the best feeling of all," the Swiss legend said.
Recalling his early experiences in tennis, Federer spoke about standing close to the court, watching players compete and assisting them as a ball boy. "I'll never forget how the game looked from there and how it felt. The thrill of standing so close to the players, feeding them the ball, handing them the towel, seeing them sweat, watching them fight it out, figure it out -- the adversity, the intensity," he said.
" I remember the next morning, my legs were gone. Standing all day is a lot of work," Federer added. The Swiss great, who turned 45 earlier this month, is one of 29 members of the exclusive ATP No. 1 Club and spent 310 weeks at the top of the ATP Rankings.
His 237 consecutive weeks as world No. 1 remain a record. The 20-time Grand Slam champion retired from professional tennis in 2022.