How I voted for 2026 Tennis Hall of Fame candidates—and why

Enshrinement in the Hall of Fame in your sport is the ultimate honor for an athlete. Inductees into sports halls of fame invariably say that joining the pantheon of greats is a tremendous honor and the pinnacle of their careers. These sports shrines have become so famous that they’re often referred to by their American locations: Cooperstown (baseball), Springfield (basketball), Canton (football), and Newport (tennis).

As one of 140 people who voted for candidates for the Class of 2026 for the International Tennis Hall of Fame, I’m charged with evaluating the careers of Roger Federer, Juan Martin del Potro, and Svetlana Kuznetsova for the Player Category.

The two most relevant criteria are: 1. A distinguished record of competitive achievement at the highest international level, and 2. Consideration given to integrity, sportsmanship, and character.

Roger Federer, of course, will be unanimously voted into the Hall of Fame. The Swiss Maestro racked up 20 Grand Slam singles titles, including a men’s record eight Wimbledon crowns, among his 103 total singles titles, second only to Jimmy Connors’ 109. Federer also captured six ATP Year-End Finals and led Switzerland to the 2014 Davis Cup title. He won a gold medal in doubles with Stan Wawrinka at the 2008 Olympics, but failed to win a singles gold medal in four tries, the only prestigious title to have eluded him.

Federer was the consensus tennis GOAT until Rafael Nadal and then Novak Djokovic, the other members of the legendary Big Three, surpassed him this decade. For sheer athleticism and artistry, no player had ever thrilled and astounded fans more, until the routinely spectacular Carlos Alcaraz emerged as a superstar.

No champion in the sport’s 150-year history was more beloved than Roger. For a record 19 consecutive years, he was named the ATP Fan Favorite, an accolade partly explained by his winning the ATP’s Stefan Edberg Award Sportsmanship Award a record 13 times. In 2011, in the Reputation Institute's study of the World's most respected, admired, and trusted personalities, Federer ranked No. 2 just behind Nelson Mandela.

Lastly, he cared deeply about the sport that gave him immense success, joy, fame, and fortune—he became the first tennis billionaire during his career. Most notably, he served effectively as president of the ATP Player Council for three terms, from 2008 to 2014.

I voted for Svetlana Kuznetsova because of her high-level, versatile record. In singles, the Russian, who learned how to play on clay by training in Barcelona, Spain, as a teenager, won the French Open in 2009 and reached the final in 2006. Kuznetsova won her other major at the 2004 US Open and, in 2007, made the finals there. She also helped Russia win three Billie Jean King Cup titles. In doubles, Kuznetsova made the finals of every major and captured two Australian Opens—with Alycia Molik in 2005 and compatriot Vera Zvonareva in 2012.

After this hard-hitting, all-court athlete won the 2004 US Open, Kuznetsova said, “I want success. I really want people to remember my name.” Her (likely) induction in the Tennis Hall of Fame will ensure that.

Juan Martin del Potro posed one of the more intriguing "What ifs?" in tennis history. One wonders what Delpo would have achieved had his career not been frequently derailed by injuries and four wrist and four knee surgeries. After Del Potro crushed Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in the 2009 US Open semifinals and shocked five-time champion Federer 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 in the final for his first Grand Slam title, former Argentine great Guillermo Vilas predicted, "He will win many more." Indeed, the 6'6" Del Potro—nicknamed the "Tower of Tandil"—boasted a big serve, a flat, rocket forehand, and a solid backhand that combined to overpower opponents, particularly on hard courts, where he captured 18 of his 22 ATP Tour singles titles.

Delpo, who made several comebacks during his injury-plagued career, sadly never won another Grand Slam title, though he reached one more major final at the 2018 US Open. A tough, poised competitor, he clinched Argentina's first Davis Cup in 2016 by rebounding from two sets down to defeat Marin Cilic 6-7(4), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3. Del Potro also grabbed a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, upsetting Novak Djokovic at both events.

If "integrity, sportsmanship, and character" were the primary criteria, Juan Martin del Potro would get everyone's vote, including mine. Although Delpo's record fell a bit short for the Hall of Fame, his on-court empathy and fairness never did. I'll most remember his 2015 French Open match against longtime friend and compatriot Nicolas Almagro. Writhing in pain and sobbing uncontrollably, Almagro collapsed on his back after injuring his knee. Delpo hugged the distraught Almagro and placed his hand on Almagro's head, like a father comforting his injured child.