Newport, Rhode Island - A tearful Roger Federer was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday, describing his formal entrance into the sport's pantheon as one of the "greatest honors of my life."

The 45-year-old 20-time Grand Slam singles champion was frequently overcome with emotion as he addressed a crowd bristling with tennis royalty at a ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island.

The Swiss legend, who retired from tennis in 2022, paid tribute to the opponents, officials, fans, family and friends who had shared his career during a lengthy address that unfolded as a love letter to the sport.

"This is one of the greatest honors of my life," Federer said.

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"They call this the Hall of Fame, but fame was never the goal," he continued.

"My goal was to spend my life doing something I love... with people who love it as much as I do."

Federer had to wipe away tears as he name-checked his idol Stefan Edberg, other tennis stars, family, and support staff who had inspired him throughout his career.

"It's been an incredible journey... For me, the International Tennis Hall of Fame provides a great opportunity to look back, but also to look ahead," the athlete said.

"As you can tell, I'm still writing my love letter to tennis. My time as a player is done, but tennis will always stand at the intersection of everything I care most about: my family, our friendships, the past 40 years, the future we're building. Tennis for me is responsible for it all," he added.

The tennis star said that there is "no way to measure what it means to be here" – although he did mention having worn more than 5,000 headbands and over 7,000 pairs of socks in a lighthearted moment.

"I really want to thank every ball kid who ever stood through my matches or all our matches, for that matter, for hours on end... I see you. I thank you. I was you," Federer said.

"I need tissues and sunglasses and everything to protect me right now," he joked through tears at one point. "This is such a mess!"