Three former players and two legendary contributors were nominated for the 2026 Hall of Fame.
Roger Federer, Juan Martin del Potro, and Svetlana Kuznetsova were nominated for the player category, while Mary Carillo and Marshall Happer were nominated for the contributor category.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer was given the nod on the players’ side, ahead of Del Potro and Kuznetsova.
Commentator and journalist Carillo was also accepted, as the pair will be inducted next year.
Reacting to the news, Hall of Famer Andy Roddick revealed who he voted for.
Andy Roddick says he ‘obviously’ voted for Roger Federer
During the latest episode of ‘Served with Andy Roddick‘, the American joked about the Hall of Fame news.
“You know what I was stunned about this week? Something happened this week. Floored me,” said Roddick.
Is Roger Federer the greatest tennis player of all time?
“[Roger] Federer got voted into the Hall of Fame… I know, I know! On the first ballot!
“Only one person voted against him, and I’m sure I don’t know who it is… I don’t know… Undeserving!”
Of course, Roddick didn’t let his rivalry with Federer influence his decision, as he voted for the Swiss star to take his rightful place in the Hall of Fame.
Andy Roddick and Roger Federer’s Grand Slam final H2H
| Grand Slam final | Winner | Loser | Score |
| 2004 Wimbledon | Roger Federer | Andy Roddick | 4-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 2005 Wimbledon | Roger Federer | Andy Roddick | 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 2006 US Open | Roger Federer | Andy Roddick | 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 |
| 2009 Wimbledon | Roger Federer | Andy Roddick | 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14 |
“Anyways… I joke, the two people I voted for, Mary Carillo, and obviously I voted for Roger,” he said.
Federer was always going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, having enjoyed a legendary career few can rival.
Serena Williams picked Roger Federer as the G.O.A.T.
But when will some other tennis legends be eligible for nomination?
When tennis legends can be nominated for the International Tennis Hall of Fame
A player must not have contested a professional match for at least five years to be eligible for a Hall of Fame nomination.
As Federer last played an ATP Tour match at Wimbledon in 2021, he was an option for the 2026 Hall of Fame.
American tennis legend Serena Williams may well be next up, having played her last match in 2022.
Williams should be eligible for the 2027 class and will surely be voted in without much trouble at all.
Spain’s Rafael Nadal will have to wait until 2029, however, as he retired upon the conclusion of the 2024 Davis Cup Finals.
And Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, yet to retire from tennis, won’t be inducted this decade.
They are all, of course, ‘locks’ for the Hall of Fame and will join the exclusive club sooner rather than later.
Selected players inducted into the Hall of Fame
- Margaret Court (1979)
- Rod Laver (1981)
- Bjorn Borg (1987)
- Billie Jean King (1987)
- Chris Evert (1995)
- Jimmy Connors (1998)
- John McEnroe (1999)
- Martina Navratilova (2000)
- Steffi Graf (2004)
- Pete Sampras (2007)
- Andre Agassi (2011)
- Roger Federer (2026)
Perhaps a couple of today’s stars will join the likes of Rod Laver, Martina Navratilova, and Steffi Graf in the Hall of Fame someday.
Six-time Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz already look well on their way…
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