Roger Federer

Contents

Roger Federer Facts – # 100 Facts

Roger Federer Facts - Biography

Roger Federer Facts – Biography

Roger Federer: Early Years and Family


1) Roger Federer Born: August 8, 1981

One of the greatest tennis players in history, Roger Federer was born on August 8, 1981.

He is a Swiss national who was born in Basel, Switzerland, at the Basel Cantonal Hospital.


2) The Federer Family

Roger Federer is the youngest of two children of Robert and Lynette.

He is a dual citizenship holder, Swiss and South African, as his father is from Switzerland and his mother is South African.

He has an older sister Diana and has no brothers.


3) Compulsory Military Service

In Switzerland, it is compulsory for all male citizens to serve in the armed forces.

Roger Federer was supposed to do his military service as well but due to a problematic back, he was declared unfit and therefore was exempted from it.


Wonder Years of Roger Federer


4) Role Models

In his younger days, Roger Federer idealized Boris Becker.

In 1985, when Roger was 4 years old, he watched Becker win at Wimbledon.

It was Boris Becker’s game that inspired Roger to take tennis so seriously.


5) The Young Federer

Roger Federer started playing tennis at a very young age.

In 1993, he won two national titles in tennis for 12-year-olds.

After that, it was his parents’ wish that he turn the sport into a more serious future.

They pushed him to join the National Development Program of Swiss Tennis but he resisted going there.


6) Leaving Home

At the age of 14, Roger Federer finally gave in and decided to take the plunge and join the National Development Program of Swiss Tennis.

He left home in 1995 and moved to Eculbens near Lake Geneva.


7) Youngest & Weakest Player

Who would have guessed that the world’s greatest tennis player was the weakest player when he was in training!

He faced a lot of problems when he moved away from home, such as language differences and his being the “youngest” and the “weakest” player.


8) On His Younger Days

“When I was 12 years old, I was just horrible.

My parents were ashamed to watch my matches.

I would play on a court at the local club and they would watch from the balcony.

They would scream, ‘Be quiet’ to me and I would scream back, ‘Go and have a drink.

Leave me alone.’

Then we would drive home in a very quiet car.

No one speaking to each other.”


9) Bellboy

Roger Federer used to be a bellboy in Basel in his younger days.

At that time, it seemed just a dream for him to become a tennis star and win at his home field.

And finally, in 2006, his dream came true which also helped him keep his No.

1 spot for the third year running.


Tennis Career of Roger Federer


10) First International Appearance

Roger Federer’s first international appearance was in 1995 when he was only 14 years old.

He did not win the tournament but made it to the Orange Bowl (USA) quarterfinals.

This was one of the most important international tournaments for junior tennis players and Federer did not consider it a defeat but a success.


11) Swiss Junior Champion

At the age of 16, Roger Federer earned the title of Swiss Junior Champion and later Swiss Club Champion.

He won these titles for both the summer and the winter tournaments.

His coach at the time was Peter Carter, who also helped him win two under-18 national titles.


12) Decision To Quit School

It was in 1997 that Roger Federer decided to quit school and focus entirely on tennis.

He only attended school until grade nine, which is compulsory.

His parents did not like the idea of Roger not continuing his education but soon gave up.


13) First Wimbledon Win

Roger Federer made it to the semis at the Australian Open in 1998.

But the same year, he won his first Wimbledon in June.

This was the Wimbledon Junior Tournament.

It was after this victory that Federer started getting more international recognition.


14) No. 1 Junior

He won the Orange Bowl (USA) again at the age of 17 and by the end of 1998 Federer was declared to be at the top of junior world ranking.

To celebrate this success and the start of the New Year, Roger Federer dyed his hair blond.


15) First Professional Season

In 1999, Roger Federer played his first season as a professional tennis player.

When he started off, he was ranked 301 according to the Association of Tennis Professionals but managed to beat Carlos Moya, who was ATP rank 5.


16) Top 100 in ATP Rankings

Roger Federer, one of the best tennis players in the world, wowed the public when he made it into the top 100 according to the Association of Tennis Professionals within less than a year of starting his professional tennis career.


17) Top 50 in ATP Rankings

Even though Roger’s performance went downhill after his Wimbledon win, he still managed to reach the top 50 in the ATP Ranking, when he was at No. 49.

He appeared in the Australian Open but could not go past round two.

However, this was considered his best Grand Slam performance so far.


18) Good-bye, Swiss Tennis

In spring 2000, Roger Federer said good-bye to Swiss Tennis.

At this point, Federer appointed Peter Lundgren as his private coach.

These two decisions proved to be, by far, the luckiest for the ATP rank two tennis star.

Lundgren stuck by his side and even helped him get his first Grand Slam victory.


19) Sydney Olympics 2000

A lifetime opportunity for Federer arose when he participated in the Sydney Olympics 2000.

He made it to the semifinals but finished fourth in the games.

However, he took the whole experience positively and was not marred by the defeat.


20) First ATP Win

In 2001, Roger Federer got his first ATP victory when he played the finals against Julien Boutter.

This success was followed by many more wins.

By winning this game in Milan, he not only made his parents proud but also shooed away any doubts they had after he left school at the age of 16.


21) Against Pete Sampras

Pete Sampras was one of those tennis players whom Roger Federer looked up to as a role model.

In 2001 he played against his idol and stunningly defeated Sampras.

This game became a testimony to Roger’s tennis skills.


Setbacks of Roger Federer


22) Back Problems

Roger Federer’s back problems, which resulted in the military service exemption for him, came back.

At age 20, in 2001 he had to take a break from his tennis career and rest.

This cost him a few places in the rankings but he still managed to end the year ranking No. 13.


23) 4 Consecutive Losses

In 2002, Roger Federer faced four consecutive lost tournaments.

This became a scar in his list of wins and people thought he might have lost the flair.

The four lost tournaments were big defeats for him and this made Roger want to prove the world wrong.


24) Peter Carter’s Death

Federer’s youth coach, Peter Carter, who trained him and was a great help during his early tennis career, passed away in August 2002.

This left Roger in devastated but now he wanted to win not just for himself but for his coach too.


25) Top 10 in ATP Rankings

After Peter Carter’s death, Roger put all his strength into his game.

This bore fruit and Federer bagged two single successes and a double.

This put him at rank 6 in the ATP rankings by the end of 2002.


26) Grand Slam Loser

The year 2003 did not start very well for Roger Federer.

He was losing game after game.

Roger was very disappointed but continued to work hard.

By summer 2003, Roger was known as the Grand Slam Loser.

This was probably was one of those reasons which made Roger Federer want to prove the world wrong.


Back on Top: Roger Federer


27) First Grand Slam Title

Later in 2003, Roger Federer faced the Wimbledon challenge.

He was one of the favorites and took the challenge chin-up.

This resulted in Federer reaching the finals and winning his first Grand Slam Title after he defeated Mark Philippoussis.


28) No. 1 Tennis Player

In 2004, Roger Federer was declared No. 1 in the Association of Tennis Professionals ranking.

He stayed at No. 1 for 237 weeks, which made him the player who stayed at No. 1 for the longest time.

He once said about staying at the No. 1 spot, “I can’t stay No. 1 for fifty years, you know.

We’ll see what happens.”


29) On Being Professional

“My dad said if you become a tennis professional just make sure you get into the top hundred, because you have to make a little bit of money.

You make a living so you can pay your coaching and, you know, your travels.”


30) Australian Open And U.S. Open

Roger Federer won his first Australian Open trophy in 2004, making it his second Grand Slam title.

This victory was followed by a U.S. Open victory.

In a span of a year he got back his four major titles that he had lost the previous year.


31) Athens Olympics 2004

The 2004 Olympic Games held in Athens was Roger Federer’s second Olympics appearance.

He did not medal in 2000.

But that Federer had been replaced by the newer, more confident,three-time Grand Slam title holder.

He was chosen to represent Switzerland and be the flag bearer at this great event.


32) Marat Safin

In 2004 and early January 2005, Roger Federer bagged 26 consecutive wins until he reached the Australian Open.

In the semifinals Federer played against Marat Safin, a Russian national, who brought an end to his string of victories by winning it and then going on to get the trophy.


33) Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer reached the 2005 semifinals in Paris at the French Open, for the first time.

His opponent in this match was Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal who was only 19 that time.

Unfortunately for Roger, Nadal defeated Federer, which stunned the whole world.


34) Federer vs. Nadal

Since 2005, Rafael Nadal has been Roger Federer’s biggest rival.

According to some, this rivalry is one of the greatest in the history of tennis.

Currently, Nadal is in the lead but the two have made history and continue to fight for the top two positions.

However, Nadal said, “For me, Roger is the best player of all time and I am the best No. 2 in the world.”


35) Why The Weak Start Of 2008?

Year 2008 did not start as the few previous years had for Roger Federer.

He did not win any titles nor was his performance up to his own standard.

At last, in March he laid it out in the open that he had had glandular fever for the last 3 months.

Hence, his diminished performance!


36) Better Performance In The Beginning

It has been noted often that Roger Federer usually performs better during the first stages of a match.

If you look at his game closely, he starts up ahead of the opponent but even if he ends up winning the match, his performance goes downhill compared to what it was in the beginning.


Professional Highlights of Roger Federer


37) World Sportsman Of The Year

Year 2004 proved to be an extremely successful one for Roger Federer.

Hence, in 2005, the greatest tennis player in the world was given the World Sportsman of the Year title by Laureus World Sports Awards.


38) Juliette

When Roger Federer won his first Wimbledon trophy, he was given a rather amusing celebratory gift.

The organizers from Gstaad, in Switzerland, presented Federer with an 800kg milk cow upon his homecoming.

The star was extremely amused and stunned at this but later was nearly jumping with joy and said, “I’m going to milk it,I’ll do anything for it.

I need to find a garage for it.

It was a great idea, very funny.

And a total surprise.”

He named the cow “Juliette.”


39) Tie-Break Record

Roger Federer has a great tie-break record.

In his tennis history, if it ever came to a tiebreaker, chances are Federer would win the game.

According to Bleacher Report, “he has an outstanding 19-6 record in these tie breaks, winning 76 percent of the time.”


40) Hat Trick

In the history of tennis, Roger Federer is the only player who has won the Wimbledon as well as the U.S. Open for three years in a row.

Before Federer scored this hat trick, only two other players had managed to win the two trophies in two consecutive years.


41) Swiss Postal Stamp

Roger Federer has the honor of having a postal stamp with his picture on it.

This makes Federer the only living Swiss citizen to have been given such a tribute by the government of Switzerland.


42) Most Memorable Tennis Moment

Nothing comes before family for Roger Federer.

According to him, his most memorable tennis moment was when he won his seventh Wimbledon trophy with his wife, Mirka, and his two daughters there to support him.


43) Worst Tennis Memory

It is widely known that Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are each other’s greatest rival.

However, it became quite clear when in an interview Federer was asked about his worst tennis moment.

His reply to the question was his Australian Open defeat in 2009 by Nadal.


44) Federer Nicknames

Roger Federer is quite often known as the Federer Express, Fed Express, FedEx, Swiss Maestro or just Maestro.

His wife, Mirka, also has a few pet names for her tennis superstar husband but he prefers them undisclosed.


45) On Being Ranked No. 1

“It’s great.

Everybody suddenly rates my good strokes as outstanding, and my poorer strokes as almost outstanding.”


46) Olympic Gold Medal

After the 2004 Olympics, Roger Federer again was the representative for Switzerland in 2008.

Unlike last time, Federer did not leave without a medal.

This time he won the doubles along with Stanislas Wawrinka on August 16.


47) World Ratings

Roger Federer ranks No. 2 according to the Association of Tennis Professionals.

He is the fifth highest-paid athlete in the world and is ranked 31 on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list.


48) Forbes Earnings

As of June 2012, Roger Federer is worth $52.7 million out of which $7.7 million is from salary and $45 million from endorsements.

He has the most attractive endorsement portfolio according to Forbes as he gets approximately $30 million from his sponsors.


49) World Records

Roger Federer can be easily called the world’s greatest tennis player.

He has more records than any other tennis player.

He has won 17 Grand Slam titles.

Federer has made it to the Wimbledon tennis finals eight times.

As of 2004, he ranked No. 1 according to the Association of Tennis Professionals.


50) The History Award

In 2011, Roger Federer was up against the world’s greatest tennis players and won the Best Player in History Award for Swiss Indoors.

He topped the ranking by receiving 78% of the votes, closely followed by Novak Djokovic at No. 2.


Charity & Roger Federer


51) Roger Federer Foundation

Roger Federer set up his first philanthropic organization, the Roger Federer Foundation, in December 2003.

The foundation aims to promote education as well as sports in areas which lack such facilities.

According to the foundation website, “The projects on the African continent focus on the improvement of the quality of early learning and basic education, in Switzerland on the promotion out-of-school of children affected by poverty.”


52) UNICEF Ambassador

In March 2006, Roger Federer became the first Swiss national to be chosen as an ambassador for UNICEF.

Roger took it positively not just because it was an honor being part of the UN but also because it was also compatible with his own foundation.

UNICEF’s Executive Director Ann Veneman said on their website, “Roger Federer will bring extraordinary energy and talents to working with UNICEF to improve the lives of children throughout the world.

Roger is not just a role model for aspiring athletes, but for all those who believe that we have the power and responsibility to make the world a better place for children.”


53) Hurricane Katrina

After the 2004 disaster in Louisiana, Hurricane Katrina, Roger Federer auctioned his signed racket for victims’ aid.

Along with Andre Agassi’s signed racket, the two managed to raise approximately $40,000 out of which $25,665 was the top bid for Federer’s racket.


54) Rally For Relief

In 2005, Roger Federer organized a charity event to raise funds in order to help victims of the 2004 tsunami.

The event brought together tennis stars from around the world.

He also went in person to affected areas in Sri Lanka and India.


55) Haiti Disaster

Roger Federer continues to stay on top of his philanthropic work.

In 2010, he organized another charity event.

This event was held in order to help earthquake victims in Haiti.

Leaving behind all rivalries and competition, he involved Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick, and managed to raise an outstanding amount of $600,000.

This charity event was known as “Hit for Haiti.”


Personal Interests of Roger Federer


56) Roger Federer – Pianist!

As a child, Roger Federer wanted to be either a rock star or a tennis player.

In an interview, he mentioned that he used to play piano as well and even took piano lessons.

But he is glad he stuck to tennis as he did not sound very nice when he played piano.


57) The Love For Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship

Recently, Roger Federer was seen sporting white attire throughout Wimbledon.

Upon questioning, he expressed his extreme love for the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship.

He also said that if it was possible, he would have loved to wear white all year round because he loves it so much.


58) Favorite Movies

Roger Federer loves to watch movies and he likes to watch action movies.

His favorites include “Good Will Hunting” and “Gladiator.”

Among his all-time favorites are the James Bond movies.


59) Football Vs. Tennis

Roger Federer, as a child, loved football (soccer) and tennis equally.

When it came to a choice between the two, his parents encouraged him to play tennis.

However, he still maintained his interest in football and supported the Swiss National Football Team.

He is quite passionate about football and once said in 2010, “I don’t want to talk about football.

Switzerland lost to Germany in a friendly and FC Basel are no longer top of the league.

I hate football!”


60) Roger Federer Loves Skiing

The world’s greatest tennis player loves to ski.

In an interview, when asked what he thinks he would have been if he were not a tennis player, he said he probably would have been a ski instructor.

Such is his passion for skiing!


61) Favorite Doubles Partners

Roger Federer was an avid Martina Hingis fan.

He has also played with her and considers Martina and his wife, Mirka, as his favorite doubles partners after Stanislas Wawrinka.


62) Roger Federer – Vegetarian Teenager

Roger Federer was a vegetarian until his late teens.

The vegetarian teenager converted when he was introduced to steaks in 1998 by Marc Rossett.

He hasn’t looked back since and has not thought about going back to his vegetarian self again.


63) Favorite Food

Like a lot of us, Roger Federer loves food.

The tennis star has traveled the world but he still prefers a home-cooked meal.

His favorite food is Swiss food especially Rosti,a potato dish, and he says he could eat fondue all day if it were up to him.

He also likes Italian and Japanese food.


64) Rock Music

Roger Federer loves music, especially rock music.

He is not into hip-hop like most people these days.

His favorites include AC/DC and Lenny Kravitz and his favorite song is “Fly Away.”


65) Hobbies

Apart from a keen interest in sports, whenever Roger Federer has free time he likes to listen to music, play cards and spend time with his family and friends.

And like every other man, he does love his PlayStation! His website says“cards, sitting on the beach, cricket and table tennis” are his favorites.


66) Cricket

Roger Federer is very fond of cricket and plays the sport when he has free time.

His knowledge of cricket comes from his South African mother and his two coaches who are from Australia.

His favourite cricketer is Sachin Tendulkar, who is also a Federer fan.


67) Sachin Tendulkar On Federer

Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar met with Federer at the 2011 Wimbledon and later said about the meeting, “Spent an hour with Roger Federer chatting on the balcony of the Wimbledon Royal box.

What a humble guy! And by the way he knows a lot about cricket!!”


68) Languages

Roger Federer is multilingual.

He can speak about seven languages that include English, Swiss German, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Swedish.

He is fluent in the first three languages and can converse in the other four as well.


69) Sports

Being a tennis star does not limit Roger Federer.

He loves to play sports and enjoys basketball and badminton.

When he was younger, he used to play badminton and basketball in order to improve his hand-eye coordination.


70) Religion

Roger Federer is Roman Catholic by birth and still practices the religion.

However, he likes to keep this a private matter.

He even had an opportunity to meet the pope in 2006.

He later said, “This was just the perfect day.”


Family Life of Roger Federer


71) Mirka Vavrinec

Roger Federer met his wife, Mirka Vavrinec, at the Olympic village in Sydney.

Mirka was also representing Switzerland in tennis but for the women’s team.

They soon became a couple but did not make their relationship public until 2001.


72) Wife & Daughters

Roger Federer is married to former Swiss women’s tennis player Mirka Federer (nee Vavrinec), who retired in 2002.

The couple have twin daughters named Myla Rose and Charlene Riva.


73) Wedding

Roger Federer got married to his longtime girlfriend Mirka in 2009.

The wedding was not a huge affair but close family and friends were invited.

It took place in Basel at the local registry.

Everyone kept mum about the event until all was done and dusted.

Later, Roger announced the big news through his official website.


74) Birth Of Twins Myla & Charlene

On July 23, 2009, Roger Federer and Mirka Federer became parents to twin daughters who they named Myla Rose and Charlene Riva.

This news came after a string of good news that year, including a French Open victory and Wimbledon victory.


75) Roger Federer On Mirka Federer

“Mirka has always helped me, she’s great company.

The first time I met her I was nobody, I hadn’t won any important tournament and now I have 76 titles, so much has happened.

She follows me everywhere, her presence is fundamental, she likes to watch me play.

Now, after the birth of our twins, my life has changed, and we are trying to make compatible the growth of our daughters with my career.

If Mirka didn’t follow me on Tour, I would have retired already.”


76) New Holiday Home

Roger Federer is planning the construction of new holiday home for his family.

And this holiday destination is not some beach resort but his homeland, Switzerland, in the Alps.

The cost of the new villa is estimated at $17.5 million.

This development will consist of two houses, one for himself and his family and the other for his parents, linked together.


77) Federer has Trouble Telling the Twins Apart

Usually it is very easy for parents to distinguish between their twin children.

However, that might be slightly untrue in Roger Federer’s case.

The tennis superstar still sometimes has trouble telling Myla from Charlene.

He said that it gets a bit challenging for him to tell the difference especially when they are not in 3D – that is, in pictures.

But he does get there in the end.


Other Facts about Roger Federer


78) Federer In Pink Shoes

Roger Federer, one of whose sponsors is Nike, was recently seen sporting pink shoes at the Australian Open.

Croatian player Ivo Karvolić joked about Federer’s shoes when he said, “I think Fed accidentally took Mirka’s shoes.”

The shoes were made fun of but it appears that this tennis star is very fond of pink as he has also been seen wearing pink shirts.


79) Roger Federer Cologne

Roger Federer launched his own brand of cosmetics, RF Cosmetics, in 2003.

The line was planned to consist of cologne, aftershave, balm and other grooming products for men.

However, according to one source, the cologne is no longer sold.

The cologne was criticized in these words, “No doubt the scent captured the boring essence of Federer, with hints of tap water, air, Saltines and dust, more air, lint and maybe just a touch of vanilla.”


80) Sponsors

Roger Federer has nine main sponsors, which include Wilson, Rolex, Gillette, Mercedes-Benz, Credit Suisse Group, Nike, Lindt Chocolate, and the latest one is Moet & Chandon champagne.


81) Acting?

Earlier this year, Roger Federer gave acting a shot.

This was for the sake of one of his biggest sponsors, Credit Suisse.

The task was to shoot a commercial in different settings.

Federer did realize though that it is better if he sticks to tennis.

He said, “It was a challenge for me to put myself in those different situations and to react to the sometimes very impulsive dramatizations.

But on the whole, it was great fun.”


82) Burj Al Arab Photo Shoot

In 2005, Roger Federer and Andre Agassi played a friendly match at the top of Dubai’s Burj Al Arab.

This was actually for a photo shoot but the pair had a great time tossing balls at 200m above the ground.

He later said, “The view is absolutely amazing here and it was very different when I was asked to do this as I didn’t know what to expect.

I have been in Dubai many times and have stayed at Burj Al Arab before, but this was an absolute treat.

To play tennis with Andre on top of such an amazing hotel and overlooking the whole of Dubai was absolutely spectacular.”


83) 45-Year-Old Federer

In early 2010, Roger Federer went to Ethiopia for an official Roger Federer Foundation visit.

This visit proved to be very emotional for Federer and he spent a lot of time with the local kids.

On one occasion, he was answering questions and “his age was guessed at 45.”

He was actually only 28 at the time.


84) Lung Infection

In 2010, Roger Federer had to pull out of the Dubai Championship where he had previously won four titles.

The reason for this withdrawal was a lung infection, which was making it hard for him to play.

In an interview, he said, “I can’t play, it’s too risky.

It’s a lung infection.

It’s the first time I’ve had it.

The breathing was difficult.

I’m still very tired and a bit slow with everything.”


85) On Having ‘No Balls’

Mats Wilanders once commented on Roger Federer that when he plays against Nadal, the Swiss has “no balls.”

This comment left Federer furious and he replied, “Look.

There’s many former players, many experts, who think they know everything.

Sometimes they’re right, but they can also be wrong.

You can’t always listen to them, especially as a player.

From a former top player – almost a legend of the game – to hear stuff like this is obviously very disappointing.

I thought I got along well with him; I probably still am, because he never told these things to my face.

Next time I see him, maybe I will say something.

Or maybe he’s not a man to be around for me.

Because if you say stuff like this? There’s professional and there’s friendship, but if you cross the line too many times eventually you’re going to lose your friends.

That’s maybe what he’s doing.”


An Inspirational Personality


86) 2nd Most Trusted Person in the World

As of 2011, Roger Federer stood as the world’s second most trusted and respected public figure.

This was a great honor and the only person who managed to beat Federer in trust and respect was none other than Nelson Mandela.

This was found in a research carried out in 25 countries by the Reputation Institute, a consulting firm, with about 50,000 people participating.


87) Pete Sampras On Roger Federer

“He’s created this monster of winning so many tournaments and so many majors and doing it with ease

As great as Roger is he’s going to have his losses and his bad days, it’s just human nature to go through some lulls.

When I look at Roger, I’m a fan.

I mean, I’m a fan of how he plays, what he’s about, just the fact that I think he’s a class guy on and off the court.

He’s fun to watch.

Just his athletic ability, what he’s able to do on the run.

I think he can and will break every tennis record out there.”


88) Andy Murray On Roger Federer

“The consistency in the big tournaments is ridiculous.

No one will ever match that, I don’t think.

I don’t think it’s been surprising that, once he won a few slams, everyone was saying that he could be the best ever.

Just to have no slip-ups, to have no injuries – maybe he has, but covered that well – to not be really sick or to miss one event, one slam through injury, it’s pretty incredible.”


89) Andre Agassi On Roger Federer

“’He does everything well and a lot of things great.

His movement is probably the most underrated part of his game, and that’s right up there with the best of them.

His forehand is one of the biggest.

His serve is very accurate.”


90) Roger Federer On Possibly Entering Politics

“Like Ahh-nold (Schwarzenegger)? I do not think so.

I am more into, in general, helping people.

Like Muhammad Ali does for the world.

Think about the world not only like ‘God Bless America’ sort of thing but God bless the world, because we are all together.

We are living on the same world, you know.

Sometimes people forget.

This is why we have fights all over the world.

Of course, you cannot stop them, but still pick an issue, maybe in the future.

Of course it goes into politics a little bit.

Maybe.

Who knows what I will do? However, I do not really see this sort of role.

I’d like to be more of an ambassador.”


91) Crying A Lot

Men are not known for crying, especially sportsmen.

However, Roger Federer is different.

He cried after nearly every big match.

Whether he loses the game or wins, crying is a must! This might be because Federer has an emotional side, and because tennis means the world to him.


92) Boris Becker On Federer

“We have a guy from Switzerland who is just playing the game in a way I haven’t seen anyone – and I mean anyone – play before.

How fortunate we are to be able to see that.

If he stays healthy and motivated – and the wonderful feel he has stays with him – he is the kind of guy who can overtake the greatest.”


93) Strength

Roger Federer thinks his strength still lies in his forehand shots although he is now also famous for his backhands.

On one occasion he said, “The serve, I was too young and too small and… not enough powerful to have a good serve when I was young, so my forehand was always my signature shot.

So I used to always run around my backhand, you know, use my forehand as much as I could, and so that’s why I think it’s my strength also today, you know.”


94) Responsibilities Divided

On having his twin daughters, Roger Federer showed how his life has taken a sudden change in that his responsibilities and love have been divided.

He said, “Before, I guess, mum and dad were everything, but now, in my case, I had two new girls and all of a sudden they’re completely dependent on you and there’s a third generation.

It’s a funny shift all of a sudden.

You have the babies, you have yourself and then you have your parents.”


95) Meeting With Pelé

Roger Federer had always admired Pelé’s sportsmanship.

And in 2012, he got an opportunity to meet the great Brazilian footballer.

The two sportsmen met at Pelé’s residence in Brazil and exchanged memorabilia.

Pelé presented Federer with his signed shirt, which he wore at the 1958 World Cup winning game.

Federer gave Pelé his signed tennis racket.


96) Federer Betting Scandal Allegations

In 2010, Roger Federer was caught in an alleged betting scandal.

It was said that Federer had tipped his management company’s president and given him some inside information about his game with Rafael Nadal that year.

The allegations were later proved untrue and Roger said, “It’s disappointing that someone’s throwing my name around.

I would never do such a thing.”

Federer continued, “My fans know that, the people who know me … I have nothing to hide.

I’m sorry for those who think there is something to the story.

But there’s nothing.”


97) Meeting With The Queen

The 2010 Wimbledon was the first time in 33 years that the Queen of England was visiting the games.

Among the selected stars, Roger Federer was one of the top choices to meet Elizabeth II.

He later said about the meeting, “It is a big honor for myself on a personal level and it’s a big honor for the club.

After 33 years there is huge happiness that she should visit this year for the fans.

I’m just so glad I got a chance to meet her.”


98) Roger Federer On Doping

Roger Federer is one of those sportsmen who have never been caught in any kind of scandals that would put his game at risk.

He strongly opposes doping and when Lance Armstrong came out with his confession, Roger Federer expressed his displeasure by saying that Armstrong’s act has not just left cycling in a difficult position but it will hurt the reputation of every other sport in general.


99) On Roger Federer Foundation

“In sports we learn how to fight: for victory, for the entire team, in order to reach a goal.

In many countries of the world, a majority of people, despite their efforts, do not have access to education or sports.

I am very glad to be able to make a difference by means of my foundation.”


100) David Foster Wallace On Roger Federer

In 2006, David Foster Wallace of the New York Times summarized what Roger Federer is in the following lines: “The metaphysical explanation is that Roger Federer is one of those rare, preternatural athletes who appear to be exempt, at least in part, from certain physical laws.

Good analogues here include Michael Jordan, who could not only jump inhumanly high but actually hang there a beat or two longer than gravity allows, and Muhammad Ali, who really could ‘float’ across the canvas and land two or three jabs in the clock-time required for one.

There are probably a half-dozen other examples since 1960.

And Federer is of this type — a type that one could call genius, or mutant, or avatar.

He is never hurried or off-balance.

The approaching ball hangs, for him, a split-second longer than it ought to.

His movements are lithe rather than athletic.

Like Ali, Jordan, Maradona, and Gretzky, he seems both less and more substantial than the men he faces.

Particularly in the all-white that Wimbledon enjoys getting away with still requiring, he looks like what he may well (I think) be: a creature whose body is both flesh and, somehow, light.”

, , ,

Comments are closed.



Send this to a friend