Mirka Federer’s speech introducing her husband, Roger Federer, at the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) Induction Ceremony on August 29, 2026:

Good evening, everyone. Wow, what a great honor it is for me to be here. Really, it’s amazing.

It feels a little strange to be the one standing in front of the microphone. Roger was always much more comfortable with a racket in his hand, and I was always much more comfortable staying out of the spotlight, so let’s see how this goes.

Roger and I met at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. He was 18 and I was 21. Yes, I was the older woman! Apparently, Roger decided right away that age was just a number. He pursued me anyway, and thankfully, he was persistent.

When we met, he had exactly zero ATP titles. Zero! Looking back, I suppose I was there for all 103 that followed.

We shared quite the journey. In those early days, I would sometimes even help warm him up before matches. I had played professionally myself, so Roger thought I could help him get ready. I still remember Andy Roddick joking after the Cincinnati final: “I can’t believe I lost to a guy whose girlfriend warmed him up.” He really said that, and yeah, we still smile every time we speak about that.

One thing I learned immediately about Roger was that he always wanted the people he loved close to him. That is one of the qualities I have admired most about him, not just as a tennis player, but as a person.

Everyone talks about Roger’s elegance on the tennis court, and I understand why as much as anyone. For so many years, I had the best seat in the house. I watched him move with a grace that made one of the hardest sports in the world look almost effortless.

I know, I know—Roger says it’s a myth. And believe me, I saw the work, the hours, the discipline, the commitment. I saw everything that went into making it look so easy. And even after watching more than a thousand of his matches, it never stopped amazing me.

But tennis was never what impressed me the most. The man behind it all is even more remarkable. He’s the most devoted father that our four children could ever ask for.

When I found out we were expecting twins for the first time, I told Roger that my traveling days were probably over. Without missing a beat, he said, “Then I won’t play anymore.” He wasn’t being dramatic—he meant it. That’s who Roger is: his family comes first.

Fortunately, we found another solution! And that solution involved babies, strollers, toys, books, and eventually two sets of twins traveling all over the world with us. The tennis tour has always been our home.

Our children—Mila, Charlene, Leo, and Lenny—know him as Papa. The Papa who read bedtime stories, played games with them, ran their bath, and made them laugh. No matter how busy he was, whether he won or lost, he always made time for them.

I know him always as the kind husband: funny, thoughtful, and endlessly supportive. His parents know him as a loving son, his sister knows him as a wonderful brother, and his friends know him as someone who always has time for them, no matter how busy his life becomes.

And those qualities didn’t happen by accident. He learned them from two incredible parents. Robbie and Lynette raised a champion, and they raised a genuinely good person. They taught him humility, gratitude, and kindness, and they taught him to treat everyone with the same respect.

Long before the world came to know Roger Federer the tennis player, Robbie and Lynette gave me someone I would come to admire even more: Roger the son, Roger my partner, Roger the friend, and eventually, Roger the husband and father. Those values are what have carried him through every chapter of his life.

So many people around the world know Roger as one of the greatest tennis players who ever lived. They know the titles, the records, the elegance, the rivalries, the victories, and the moments that became part of tennis history.

But those of us who know Roger best know something even better. The trophies and records are extraordinary, but they are only part of his legacy. What makes me proudest isn’t what Roger accomplished when the world was watching—it’s who he is when nobody’s watching.

Roger, thank you. Thank you for staying persistent all those years ago in Sydney. Thank you for choosing our family every single day since. Watching your career gave me one of the greatest privileges and joys of my life, and sharing your life has been an even greater one.

Tonight, it’s my honor to introduce my husband, my best friend, and now the newest member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame: Roger Federer.