Roger Federer once again proved why he could be the best-selling tennis player of all time. Set to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Federer saw tickets to his induction event sell out in just 120 seconds – two minutes.
The organization took to the X on Wednesday to reveal the staggering demand, saying that despite the increased seating capacity for the event, tickets were being snapped up at an unprecedented rate. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on August 29.
“As a small but historic venue, our capacity is limited,” Hall said on social media.
Hall said he expected immense excitement surrounding the induction of the first man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles to be inducted into the Newport Hall of Fame alongside renowned broadcaster Mary Carillo. In addition to the 900 tickets initially available for the launch event, the Hall also opened its 3,600-seat stadium for the party.
Even so, all 4,500 tickets were gone within two minutes, Hall spokeswoman Megan Erbes confirmed.
Housed in a 19th-century casino in Newport, the Tennis Hall of Fame recently underwent a $3 million renovation to prepare for upcoming induction ceremonies honoring Federer and Serena Williams, who will be eligible next year if they don’t make a competitive comeback.
THE INCREDIBLE CAREER OF ROGER FEDERER
Federer’s Grand Slam journey began at Wimbledon in 2003, where he lifted his first major trophy. Six years later, at the same venue, he broke Pete Sampras’ long-standing men’s record of 14 Grand Slam titles when he outlasted Andy Roddick in an epic 2009 final that stretched to 16–14 in the deciding set. His major tally eventually reached 20 when he won the Australian Open crown in 2018.
Rafael Nadal later surpassed Federer’s tally, ending his career with 22 Grand Slam titles before retiring aged 38, while Novak Djokovic – the same age and still active – raised the bar further to 24.
Federer’s legacy extends far beyond Grand Slam achievements. Renowned for his effortless footwork, aggressive all-court game, fluid serve and devastating forehand, he amassed 103 tournament-level titles and 1,251 match wins – numbers surpassed only by Jimmy Connors in the Open era.
In total, he ruled the ATP rankings for 310 weeks, including a record 237 consecutive weeks at world number one. His honors also include Switzerland’s historic Davis Cup triumph in 2014 and an Olympic gold medal in doubles alongside Stan Wawrinka at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Federer officially announced his retirement in 2022 and fittingly signed a doubles partnership with Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup, an event created by his own management team.
Throughout his career, Federer has become a role model for future generations, including current world number one Carlos Alcaraz, a 22-year-old who has already collected six Grand Slam titles.
Federer is one of eight men to complete a career Grand Slam, winning eight Wimbledon titles, six Australian Opens, five US Opens and one French Open.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
February 12, 2026