ATP Tour
Federer, Del Potro Among the 2026 Contenders for the International Tennis Hall of Fame
Former WTA standout Kuznetsova also in the running for the Player Category
October 01, 2025
Photo Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Roger Federer, at the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals, boasts an impressive 103 tour-level singles titles.
By the International Tennis Hall of Fame Staff
Leading the charge for the 2026 International Tennis Hall of Fame class is former World No. 1 Roger Federer. He’s joined on the nominee list by 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro and four-time major winner Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Player Category.
The Player Category honors ATP and WTA players who have left an indelible mark through their competitive excellence at the highest levels:
Federer is among a select group of just eight men in tennis history to achieve a Career Grand Slam in singles. He clinched his inaugural Grand Slam title at the young age of 21 at Wimbledon in 2003 and became the first man ever to reach 20 major singles championship wins. His incredible journey saw him ranked World No. 1 for a remarkable 237 consecutive weeks, totaling 310 weeks at the pinnacle throughout his career.
In total, Federer secured 103 singles titles, ranking second for most in the Open Era, and he was honored with the ATP’s Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award an impressive 13 times. Furthermore, he was celebrated as the ATP Fan Favorite for a record-breaking 19 consecutive years, spanning from 2003 to 2021.
Representing Switzerland, Federer led his national team to victory in the Davis Cup in 2014, and he earned Olympic gold in doubles with partner Stan Wawrinka at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. As a key member of Team Europe, Federer helped secure three consecutive Laver Cup titles from 2017 to 2019.
Juan Martin del Potro, the Argentine who won the 2009 US Open men’s singles title, boasts a portfolio of 22 career titles. As a teenager in 2008, he claimed four ATP singles titles and even achieved a stunning 23-match winning streak.
In 2009, del Potro reached his maiden Grand Slam final, triumphing over Federer in a five-set thriller at the US Open. At the end of that year, he was the youngest player in the Top 10. In 2016, he played a pivotal role in leading Argentina to their first Davis Cup title and also earned a silver medal in Olympic singles.
Svetlana Kuznetsova is a distinguished four-time major champion, having secured two titles each in both singles and doubles. Her accolades include singles victories at the 2004 US Open and the 2009 Roland Garros, as well as doubles triumphs at the Australian Open in both 2005 and 2012. Over her 15-year career, Kuznetsova racked up 18 WTA singles titles and 16 in doubles, achieving career-high rankings of No. 2 in singles and No. 3 in doubles.
