Roger Federer was officially inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame at a special ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island. The 45-year-old Swiss legend gave a highly emotional and unforgettable speech, filled with a lot of laughter, but also with tears, defining this event as one of the highlights of his life, BTA reported.
„It's incredible to see yourself in such a place, to walk through the Hall of Fame and immerse yourself in the history of this sport. This means everything to me. To read the stories of my greatest heroes and to realize – truly realize for the first time – that I have a place here. "It was one of the greatest privileges of my life.
I was standing against the back wall with my hands behind my back and my eyes on the ball. I will never forget what the game looked like from there and what it felt like. The thrill of being so close to the players, passing them the ball, giving them the towel, seeing them sweating, fighting and finding solutions - the difficulties, the intensity. I remember the next morning I had no legs. Standing all day is a lot of work," Federer began.
The Swiss tennis legend also spoke about his first steps with a racket at the age of three: "My dad's wooden racket, just like that. I grew up with wooden rackets and white tennis balls - that's how old I am. That racket was so heavy that I played with both hands, both forehand and backhand. Who would have guessed that I would end up being a one-handed backhander?“
At the end of his speech, Federer thanked all the fans for the shared journey over the years: “This boy from Basel thanks you for this incredible honor. And thank you – all of you – for sharing the journey that brought us together“.
The best Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov joined a special video with congratulatory messages to Roger Federer on the occasion of the Swiss' official induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, BTA reported.
The 35-year-old Bulgarian spoke about the enormous influence that Federer has had on his growth and career, both professionally and personally.
“For me, you have always been a member of the Hall of Fame, I think from the first day I saw you play. An incredible example both on and off the court, and a true inspiration to me.
I feel like we have so many good memories on and off the court – ever since the time we played an exhibition match at Madison Square Garden and flew together to Indian Wells. "I remember reading stories to your little girls when they were little, so I always felt very accepted and loved by you and your entire family," Grigor Dimitrov said in his video address.