Lindsey Vonn has publicly admired Roger Federer for over a decade. The legendary alpine skier recently witnessed the 20-time Grand Slam champion officially receive his sport’s highest honor. This monumental occasion prompted an emotional public tribute from the decorated winter sports icon.
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Federer formally entered the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, on August 29, 2026. Vonn attended the prestigious weekend ceremonies to actively support her longtime idol and friend. She subsequently took to Instagram on August 31 to share a massive collection of personal photographs and memories. The accompanying caption explicitly detailed the profound personal impact Federer had on her own athletic career.
“Congratulations @rogerfederer on being inducted into the @tennishallofame this weekend,” Vonn wrote. “There are many athletes that I admire, respect and look up to but Roger was the athlete I aspired to be. Classy, kind, fearless, a true competitor and always a true sportsman.”
She then highlighted a specific, deeply moving moment from the weekend’s formal induction ceremony.
“I could not have imagined a better way to be inducted than through the eloquent words of his wife, Mirka,” she added. “The night was emotional and showed what a family can do when they support each other.”
She finished her tribute with a message that went beyond Federer’s tennis achievements.
“His legacy is far beyond tennis and will last forever.” Vonn’s connection with Federer stretches back to at least 2009, when she was already a major star in alpine skiing and Federer was at the height of his tennis career. At the time, Vonn was described as a “Federer Freak” in an interview with Tennis.com.
Over the years, Vonn and Federer continued to cross paths, with their relationship growing beyond their respective sports. But her appearance around the US Open came with a reminder that Vonn herself is still on a long road back after her devastating Olympic injury.
Lindsey Vonn’s return to the tennis court marks a major step in her recovery
Vonn actively participated in the International Tennis Hall of Fame Celebrity Pro Classic on Friday, August 28. She spent more than three hours navigating the court alongside various tennis legends. This specific athletic exhibition represented an incredible physical triumph following a catastrophic competitive disaster.
The 41-year-old Olympic gold medalist spent the majority of 2026 recovering from a devastating crash at the Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo. She caught her pole on a course flag just 13 seconds into the women’s downhill final. The resulting high-speed collision caused a complex tibia fracture and a completely torn ACL. This massive trauma required an extensive sequence of intensive medical interventions.
Surgeons performed five distinct operations just to properly stabilize her shattered leg. Vonn spent consecutive months confined to a wheelchair and heavily reliant on crutches before finally picking up a tennis racket in Newport. She explicitly outlined the remaining medical hurdles standing between her and a full physical recovery.
“So, I’m trying to get as strong as possible, and once I get my ACL, then I’ll have another long road ahead of me, but for now I feel great, and I’m very thankful for that,” Vonn told TNT Sports.
She subsequently walked the blue carpet at the US Open on August 30 and provided another medical update. The skiing icon explicitly described the grueling daily reality of this ongoing rehabilitation.
Vonn described her exhausting summer schedule as requiring “a lot of rehab” and “a lot of recovery” to properly heal. “But I’m finally doing better,” she explained to PEOPLE. “I’m able to play tennis yesterday and that was a really big day for me. So it’s coming along, slowly but surely.”
She will continue aggressively rehabilitating her leg as the 2026 athletic calendar officially enters September.