Honour for Roger Federer

Roger Federer has been inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame, and the Basel-born champion broke down in tears during his acceptance speech

The 20-time Grand Slam winner was honoured overnight in Newport, becoming only the second Swiss player to receive the sport's highest recognition after Martina Hingis.

His wife Mirka led the tributes, praising his qualities away from the cameras.

Federer struggled to hold back tears when thanking his family, and reflected on his beginnings as a ball boy at the Swiss Indoors in Basel.

He told the audience he had never seen himself as an athlete, but simply as a tennis player — and that the keyword, despite all the work, was "play".

 

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