Brooks Brothers Custom-Made Blazers for Federer and Carillo

By Matthew Longcore

This past weekend, the International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Celebration took place in Newport, Rhode Island. My wife and I had the honor and privilege of attending the Fit for Fame dinner on Friday, August 28^th as guests of Brooks Brothers.

Roger Federer, arguably the GOAT of men’s tennis and a true gentleman, and Mary Carillo, an American sportscaster and former professional tennis player, were presented with custom-made navy blazers. The blazers featured one-of-a-kind linings designed to celebrate the careers and personal milestones of the inductees, including messages and photos reflecting their respective journeys in the sport of tennis.

Brooks Brothers is the official blazer partner of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. This was our third year attending the blazer presentation, and by far the most memorable. Ken Ohashi, chief executive officer of Brooks Brothers, presented the blazers to Hall of Fame co-president Kim Clijsters, who formally awarded the blazers to the inductees.

Federer received his blazer with his signature humility, stating, “It fits and I’m happy I haven’t gained weight since the fitting.” To that he added, “This is a huge honor for me just to be in the presence of so many greats, so many Hall of Famers, legends of the game.”

Carillo also demonstrated a sense of humor, joking, “I have to thank the International Tennis Hall of Fame for making this happen. My wife Sarah for designing this whole thing. And the Brooks brothers, HOW many brothers?”

The star-studded Hall of Fame weekend included major names in the world of tennis including Stan Smith, Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe, Pam Shriver, Mats Wilander, Gabriela Sabatini, and Andy Roddick. Many of the attendees wore their own Brooks Brothers Tennis Hall of Fame blazers.

We were fortunate to have courtside tickets to the Celebrity Pro Classic, an exhibition match. Roger Federer returned to the grass court, playing two doubles matches. He partnered with WTA legend Martina Navratilova for the first match and teamed up with his childhood idol and former coach, Stefan Edberg, for the second. During Federer’s ATP career, he received the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award 13 times.

Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn, a longtime friend of Federer, kicked off the event by stepping into the umpire’s chair to call the action. evening was getting a photo with Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn, who was in attendance to support her longtime friend Roger Federer. Vonn who is best known for her prowess as a skier, stepped onto the court and demonstrated that she is also quite skilled as a tennis player.

Brooks Brothers was well-represented at the Fit for Fame dinner on Friday night. Our table included Ken Ohashi (CEO), Arthur Wayne (VP Global Creative Marketing), Michell Costa (Public Relations), and Briana Vela (Social Media). We also had the opportunity to meet Good Morning America reporter Kelly McCarthy. A personal highlight of the evening was the opportunity to get a photo with Lindsey Vonn.

The induction ceremony took place on Saturday, August 29^th and featured an introduction for Mary Carillo by fellow Hall of Famer Billie Jean King and an introduction for Roger Federer by his wife, Mirka. Roger and Miska have been together for 26 years, since meeting at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Mirka’s emotional speech brought Roger – and many in the crowd – to tears.

The Hall of Fame weekend in Newport was a truly unforgettable experience. We are grateful to the ITHF and to Brooks Brothers for opportunity to witness this historic event, and we look forward to continuing to take part in this tradition in the years ahead.