Roger Federer has been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, the Rhode Island-based Hall announced on Wednesday.

The first man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles, Federer was part of an era of unprecedented rivalry with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, which he has described as "a golden time for tennis."

He was the only candidate to receive enough support in the player category for the Hall’s class of 2026.

Players become eligible five years after retiring and need 75 per cent of the vote from a group that includes tennis media, historians, industry leaders, Hall members, and fans.

"I've always valued the history of tennis and the example set by those who came before me," Federer said. "To be recognised in this way by the sport and by my peers is deeply humbling."

Federer is one of eight men with a career Grand Slam, with eight Wimbledon titles, six at the Australian Open, five at the US Open, and one at the French Open.

"I didn't predict I was going to have this many majors," he once told The Associated Press. "I was hoping to maybe have one, to be quite honest, at the very beginning of my career."

His first Slam title came at Wimbledon in 2003. He broke Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles by winning Wimbledon in 2009, defeating Andy Roddick 16-14 in the fifth set of the final. He won his 20th Grand Slam at the 2018 Australian Open.

"I don't really feel like I'm playing for the records," Federer told the AP. "I play this game because I love it."

His Grand Slam total was later surpassed by Nadal, who reached 22 before retiring last year, and Djokovic, who has 24 and is still active at 38.

Federer’s game combined a strong forehand and serve with an all-court style and footwork that made his play seem effortless. He won 103 tournaments and 1,251 singles matches, totals surpassed in the Open era only by Jimmy Connors.

He spent five years at No. 1 in the ATP rankings, including a record 237 consecutive weeks and a total of 310 weeks at the top. He led Switzerland to the 2014 Davis Cup title and won a doubles gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with Stan Wawrinka.

His last match was at Wimbledon in 2021, a month before his 40th birthday. He announced his retirement the following year, ending with a doubles match alongside Nadal at the Laver Cup, an event his management company founded.

Federer has influenced younger players including Carlos Alcaraz, the current No. 1 with six Slam titles.

"The elegance he has shown on court, off the court — how he treated people, everyone; a really humble guy — everything he does, he does with elegance," Alcaraz said. "I appreciate that. He took the game to another level ... that's what I admire the most."

At his peak, Federer reached 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals from 2005-07, winning eight, and appeared in 18 of 19 Slam finals. He also reached 23 consecutive semifinals and 36 consecutive quarterfinals at majors.

Djokovic has called these "results that didn't seem human."