General Interviews with, or about Roger
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Re: General Interviews with, or about Roger
It's somewhat of a tradition for Roger to meet with the press while preparing for the new season in Dubai. Last week, he had extensive interviews with several of the Swiss media (mostly in German), and Laura (@avasbar) was kind enough to translate the exclusive interview Roger had with Simon Graf (TagesAnzeiger). I will post it here soon.
Meanwhile, these interviews generated a variety of articles on the web, most addressing some specific portion or topic of what Roger had to say, like the article posted above by Norinchi (pantagraph.com).
While in Dubai, Roger also (re)confirmed his schedule for 2020, as published by 'We tennis'. He has now added Miami to his list (was uncertain before), plus the Exho in Bogota, just before Miami, and no clay tournament before RG. (For details on the 2020 Bogota match, see the Latin American Tour thread.)
And Roger is still hungry for trophies... and says so in a short video published by Eurosport in English! (see below)
In 2020, Federer will return to Colombia and go to Roland-Garros without preparation on clay
By Jean Muller
TENNIS : Roland Garros 2019
Monday, December 23, 2019
In the famous interview with several Swiss media, Roger Federer confirmed almost officially his schedule for the coming year:
Eurosport
Federer hungry for trophies in 2020 - including Olympic gold
22 December 2019
Roger Federer has at least six titles in his sights next year, including an Olympic gold, after missing out on a Grand Slam title in 2019.
The 38-year-old lifted the Miami Masters and three ATP 500 titles last year - alongside the Hopman Cup and Laver Cup - but failed to add to his major tally as he lost an epic Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic.
And despite his advancing years, Federer insists his hunger to win trophies is still there.
"I need to train really hard and that will obviously be a goal of mine," the Swiss said.
"Trying to win one of the five big ones, plus the Olympics - six."
Federer ranks the ATP Finals and Olympics alongside the four Slams - Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open - in his list of six events.
He added: "I would love to take one of those six chances. I know the French Open's always going to be a bit more complicated".
"And then any title is a great feeling because I know how it feels, even winning the Hopman Cup, Laver Cup, and then, of course, all the other events as well that I won like Dubai, Halle, Miami".
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Re: General Interviews with, or about Roger
As promised, here is the translation of Simon Graf's exclusive interview with Roger last week in Dubai. Published in the Tages Anzeiger (subscription) on 22 Dec. 2019.
«Die Gedanken ans Ende sind auch meine Motivation»
The 38-year-old Roger Federer finds that his time on the tennis tour has passed in a flash. Sometimes that makes him sad. However he tries to draw strength from it.
Simon Graf
It is Christmas time in Dubai. That means: 25 to 30 degrees, white sand instead of snow, employees with red and white pointed hats, Christmas music and decorations in the shopping center. For the last 15 years, Roger Federer has spent Christmas mostly here, when not with his family. He bought himself an apartment in a skyscraper in the Dubai Marina district, overlooking the man-made island of Palm Jumeirah. In the Emirate, he finds ideal training conditions and is already halfway to Australia.
For the interview, however, he does not receive us in a luxurious high-rise building, but rather in the Alserkal Avenue industrial complex, which houses galleries, start-up offices, cafes, a small chocolate factory, studios for artists and children's workshops and a cinema for art house films. A pleasant contrast to the showy Dubai. Federer has reserved the morning for selected media from all over the world and, despite the precise schedule, finds time for a chat in between. As he drives away in his own car at lunchtime, it starts to rain. This is one of the five rainy days Dubai gets in a year.
Soon it will be Christmas, how do you celebrate it in Dubai?
With the family and a [real] Christmas tree. It was all decorated yesterday. We made cookies as well. My parents are coming, which makes this year special. It's always a nice time, I like Christmas. I would prefer to be in Switzerland, of course. Because that's where my childhood memories come from. And not from Dubai. In the past, I was mostly in Berneck with my grandparents. Those are the images that come to mind.
When was the last time you experienced a white Christmas?
A few years ago we especially flew home and went up to the chalet (in Valbella). But it was all green (laughs). Although, it did start to snow on December 25th. That was six, seven years ago. So I haven't seen a real white Christmas in a long time. Basel doesn't have that much snow over the holiday season. It must have been ages ago.
Do your children put together a wish list?
Yes. They write down things they have wanted for a long time. But that doesn't mean that they get everything. Sometimes the funniest wishes are realized. It becomes problematic when they want a pet. We are rarely at home, so it makes no sense. Not yet. There will be a pet once we are more often at home.
Is Christmas also a phase of reflection for you? A time when you take a breath and look back?
For me that happens more during the vacations. I have just returned from vacation, spent two weeks there with Mirka, the children, the parents. There they are quiet moments when I have time to review the year and to look ahead. Analyze what is going well and what is not. But now that I'm in full training I don't need that anymore. I'm already totally focused to looking to the year ahead.
When you take a breath, do you sometimes think: I do have a crazy life?
That can happen. Sometimes it feels completely normal to be always travelling, to have always a hype around me, have every match full, win or lose. But there are also moments when I realize how crazy it all is: That I am always recognized, that it's always sold out, that I have won again. It depends on how much time I have for myself alone. Which is quite rare. I live a clocked life. There is almost always something going on. When I get home, I don't hear any feedback. The children are there, it goes on seamlessly. That's why dinner is so important for Mirka and me, in couple or with friends. For once, we are amongst ourselves, we can chat. These moments do us good.
You like to have people around you. Where does it come from? And where does your ability to connect with people so quickly comes from?
At the beginning, I was a little shy but I never had any problems approaching others. I got that from my father. I really spend very little time alone, apart from the hours on the massage table. During massages, I have time for myself, about an hour and a half per day. There it gets quiet. But it's true. When I compare myself to Pete Sampras, who found it difficult to meet new people, I am completely different. I quickly trust others, and if someone abuses that, I say to myself: "Okay, this time you were unlucky." But that doesn't stop me from approaching others openly, so that I can enjoy the moment with them. I love meeting new people and engaging with them. Because everyone has a different story to tell, everyone has their own battles to fight. Maybe that's why I see the positive in everyone.
The South American tour immediately followed the ATP Finals in London. You must have been disappointed after the semi-final exit against Stefanos Tsitsipas, but you went on right away. How do you manage to throw yourself into the next again and again?
That's what tennis taught me. After a bitter defeat, there is always a chance when the next one comes. It was extreme in Bogota (during the exhibition match) when we were ready to enter the court and play. And then we had to cancel the match. We were incredibly disappointed. I said to Sascha (Zverev): «Can you imagine that we will be in the bullring in Mexico City in 24 hours and break the attendance record for a tennis match? If you need a reality check, that is it. You can't believe what happened today. Tomorrow is the same, but in a positive way.» That's why you should not immediately see everything negatively if for once it does not work. I said to myself in the second half of my career, from the age of 25, that I didn't want to be sad for long after losing. It doesn't bring you anything. I didn't want to spend so much negative energy. Today I can flip the switch (he snaps his fingers) and it's like forgotten. Sure there are flashbacks now and then. That I think: "Okay, that was a shame!" But then I say to myself: "No matter, life goes on!"
After the Swiss Indoors, you said in a TV interview that you were sad that everything was going so quickly and that your career was slowly coming to an end. Do such thoughts come up often?
Usually only when asked how long I will play. I don't know that either. I'm curious myself. What I do know: That the past 20, 25 years have passed in a flash. At 14, I was at the Orange Bowl, the World Junior Championship. It was just taking place this week, Tony's son (Godsick, the manager) was playing. Then you think back to your time as a 14-year-old. Now I'm sitting here at 38 and ask myself: Is everything almost over? If that's the case, it happened really quickly. But that's also a nice thought. As one says: Time flies when you're having fun! That's how it has been for me. I had wonderful years on the tennis circuit. And I shall experience a lot of nice things afterwards. If it get to this: I will miss the tour, the tennis family. But for now I'm still enjoying it.
Are you trying to push away the thoughts of an approaching end?
No, I don't want to push these thoughts away from me. They are part of it, they are real. They should also make me think. That I feel gratitude for what I was able to experience. And they can also be a motivation. They can encourage me to think about what I could do differently to stay longer on the tour. It is important to deal with your fears. As a tennis player, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses. If you are ignorant and think you have no weaknesses and are the best anyway, it will not go well. It’s important to have a healthy self-confidence. But you also have to be able to assess yourself well. As a player as well as a person. The weaknesses are part of it.
You committed yourself to the Chinese exhibition tournament in Hangzhou until 2023. Some interpreted it that you will continue to play on the tour until 2023. Is that correct?
(laughs) No, it’s not logical. I just know that until then I can still play tennis at a level that will make people happy. But whether I'm still on the tour at that time, I don't have a clue. When ever I leave the professional tour, I won't forget the tennis. Thinking back at when I went on a show tour with Pete Sampras in 2007, he beat me in Macao. Sampras had already been retired for five years and I was world number 1. At some point your career ends because you can no longer play week after week. But you can still bring a good match every now and then.
Your daughters Myla and Charlene are already ten, your sons Leo and Lenny five. Do you only really become aware of your age when you see your children?
Yes, it's amazing how big they are. How much I experienced with them, what I can already discuss with them. It shows me how quickly this all went. That's why it's always important that I remember to make time for them, not always rush, not play every tournament. Because my children and Mirka are the absolute priority for me.
A tennis question: Although you played your best tennis at important moments this season - like in the Wimbledon semi-final against Rafael Nadal or at the ATP final against Novak Djokovic - you did not win a big title. How do you see this duality?
You can't always explain everything. Sometimes that’s just how it works. In Wimbledon, only one point was missing. Had I got it, it would have changed everything. This realization led me to not over-analyze. I put myself in a position that would have enabled me to win. But of course one can ask oneself why I didn't quite manage to reach the summit. Do I have to change anything? That I will closely examine with Ivan (Ljubicic) and Seve (Luthi) in the next few days.
How do you do that?
I will ask them to put everything on the table. It is important that we talk totally openly to each other. It’s the only way to get ahead. I always look forward to these discussions, they are capital for us to understand each other well, avoid any kind of misunderstandings. We spend so much time together during the year that you think you understand each other. But it's the nuances that make the difference. When they say I have to attack the backhand, it doesn't mean that I have to attack with every stroke, but rather at the right moment. My big task from late December to early January is to understand my coaches perfectly, to grasp their tactical ideas 100 percent.
In the first part of your career you had the greatest fluctuations in your backhand, and since you returned in 2017 after knee surgery your forehand has been inconsistent. How do you explain that?
I see two explanations. First, my move to a larger racket has helped my backhand a lot. This is most obvious as I have fewer frame balls. But I was also aware that this change would affect the forehand. Second, my hand problems in the summer 2018 destabilized my forehand. It troubled me for a long time. Fortunately, things are much better now and I hardly have any pain in my hand.
The Wimbledon Final 2019, like the one in Melbourne in 2017, has left its mark on your fans. But in a different way. How do you perceive how strongly people live by your career?
So (thinking about it briefly), as far as the Australian Open is concerned, I witnessed very strongly how it moved people. Because I won and everyone wanted to talk to me about it. It's different with defeats: People avoid asking me about it. I guess because they don't want to bring back bad memories, they don't know how much I still suffer from them. They don't want to open Pandora's box. As people hardly speak to me about it, I don't really know how much the Wimbledon Final left its mark on the fans. Of course, I have an idea through storytelling in the media. But I can't really estimate the extent because people want to protect me. Of course, I realized right away that this was an incredibly dramatic final, just because of the missed match balls, and that it would take on a dimension that goes beyond tennis. Like Melbourne 2017 or the Wimbledon Final 2008 against Rafa (Nadal). These are matches that reverberate for a long time.
For your foundation, you visit families in southern Africa or Switzerland who are not as privileged. Do you sometimes realize how lucky you were on the way?
Absolutely. I met a woman yesterday with ALS. The disease that had struck Steven Hawking too. I have had encounters like these more and more lately. The woman could not move, wrote with her eyes on a computer. She really wanted to meet me. At such moments, I become very aware of how lucky I have been. It could have been very different. But you can only look back on life, you don't know what the future hold.
Assistance: Mathieu Aeschmann
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Re: General Interviews with, or about Roger
Since it's Christmas, here is a little bit more about Roger spending the Holidays in Dubai... and his longing for Switzerland (from Blick, translated from German). The last one, I promised!
This is how Federer celebrates Christmas in Dubai
As long as Roger plays tennis, it requires sacrifices. One of them is Christmas in Dubai. The Federers would prefer to be at home in Switzerland.
By Cécile Klotzbach, Dubai | Blick.ch
Published: Dec. 22, 2019
Parcels and a Christmas tree: Federer likes Christmas like in this photo montage.
It's warm outside, 20 to 25 degrees. In the Arab Emirate of Dubai, winter temperatures prevail only in over-air-conditioned interiors. The Persian Gulf is within sight of the skyscraper that the Federer family has lived in since 2006. Expensive yachts bob in the marina harbour. The shops and restaurants are decorated in red and green for the holidays, and hotel lobbies and elevators feature “Jingle Bells” and “Last Christmas” carols. Christmassy, yes - but not the atmosphere of the Christian celebration that the Swiss people know.
Firm about real tree
So Roger Federer and his wife Mirka have to recreate this atmosphere for their crowd of four kids. "Of course Christmas in Dubai is a bit different from what I used to know," says the tennis star, who - as long as he is actively playing - is preparing here for the start of the season in Australia. He isn't a Christmas 'grinch', he likes to celebrate in the traditional way. «I think it's a wonderful time. We have a lot of fun and decorate the Christmas tree together. »
A fake Christmas tree, good or bad, no? "No, it has to be real," says Roger. For the holiday, he gets a real fir tree from the desert, which starts losing its first needles as soon as it is set up in the room. "But it always smells so nice in the house!"
A smell that awakens wonderful childhood memories from the 38-year-old Baseler. Years ago, when he was already participating in international junior tournaments at the end of December, klein Rodschi (small Rogi) always celebrated with his grandparents in Berneck in the Rhine Valley, where his father Robert grew up. People went to church, carols were sung, the Christmas tree was decorated and eagerly awaited for the 'Christchindli'. “I had it all,” said Federer, “and of course, as a family man, I want it to be as nice for my children today. Actually, you totally forget about yourself as parents, it's only about them. »
Myla and Charlene (both 10), Lenny and Leo (both 5) will also be able to experience Christmas in Switzerland soon - when Papa is no longer chasing Grand Slam titles. Either in the snow in Valbella - Roger definitely wants to keep their chalet in the mountains. Or even in Rapperswil, where he is currently building a huge, new property on Lake Zurich.
Roger cannot yet say exactly when the Federers will move in there. And if he knows, he won't share it with the whole world. "I really hope that not too much is written about it and everything documented so that we can protect our privacy a bit," he says. With the project in Rapperswil, however, a dream will finally come true, he reveals. «Because with Mirka I can build a house for life and the whole extended family at a relatively young age. In the future, many memories of several generations will surely flow together there. »
Homesick for Switzerland
Since Roger has had children, his has become even more homesick for Switzerland. "We all prefer to be here, because only here do we really feel at home." Especially at this time of the year, the globetrotter would much prefer to be in Switzerland. "Because that's where I experienced all these beautiful moments, not anywhere else."
His wife Mirka, who leads the organizational effort for her large cosmopolitan family around the world, feels exactly the same. «Mirka is very attached to Switzerland! Otherwise we would never have built two-, three times in our primary homeland,” explains Roger. Although both have roots also elsewhere - Federer on the side of his mother in South Africa, Mirka in Slovakia - they are equally in love with Switzerland. «It was always clear that we would stay in Switzerland, and neither of us had to persuade the other one to do so. The only question was where.»
It is now clear. Still Christmas tales at Federers in Dubai - soon maybe in the new home in Rapperswil.
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A nice interview with Stan Wawrinka by the Swiss magazine L'Illustré, talking about his time spent in confinement, his successes and career, and Roger of course!
Here is what Stan had to say in relation to Roger (translated from French):
Wawrinka: "Federer has been a big brother on the Tour"
From his childhood on the farm to his handling of the break without tennis due to the coronavirus, to the way he lives the comparison with Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka opens up as he rarely does. The great Swiss champion also takes us behind-the-scene of his Grand Slam final victories.
By Aurélie Jaquet | L'Illustré
July 16, 2020
- My semi-final at the ATP Finals against Federer in 2014, by far. I lost the match after having four match points. I should have won and, on that day, I didn't do what was needed to get there. It was a semi-final of the ATP Finals, most popular tournament after the Grand Slams, which brings together only the eight best players in the world. To be able to play Djoko in the final with the hope to win it, would have been enormous. I let that chance slip away. It was very, very hard. That night, I hardly slept. I cogitated a lot and talked to close friends to evacuate. What saved me was that I had to be with the Swiss team for the Davis Cup final a few days later. The next day, I was on my way to Lille by train with Seve.
- Lille, where as a matter of fact you were meeting... Federer. Did you talk about that famous match together?
No, Rodg' joined us two days later because he was injured. When he arrived, we just looked at each other with a smile that said it all. The chapter was closed. (Remember? This was the famous "cry baby" match! )
- You play an individual sport and yet, when it comes to recall the strongest moments, you often mention the Olympic Games and the Davis Cup...
- Because I love team competition. Many of my best memories are related to the Davis Cup. I played it for eleven years and I had a huge pleasure every time, not just the year of our victory. I will never forget my first selection, the 2003 semi-final in Australia. I was present as a sparring partner for the team. I also remember a meeting in Group 2 in Minsk, a memorable vodka evening with the whole team, the physios, the club presidents. We've experienced some incredible things.
- Are we going to see you again at the Davis Cup?
- It's complicated. At my age, I can no longer afford to be on all fronts, I have to select tournaments. I don't like the Davis Cup in its new format at all. And without Roger, it's not the same. Not that I don't want to play with lower ranked guys, I've been doing it for ten years. When I was young, what made me dream was the Davis Cup. Today, everything has changed a lot. After that, if Roger was going to go for another season, why not?
- Do you remember your very first meeting with Federer?
"Yes, very well. It was on a clay court in Bienne, at Swiss Tennis. I was 16 years old and I was there as a sparring partner. I remember that I put loads of pressure on myself, I was petrified at the thought of missing my shots. I gave everything, I was all red after five minutes on the court (he smiled).
- They say you were not lucky to be in the same generation as Federer...
- On the contrary, he taught me a lot. When I arrived on the Tour, he was already world number one and had won several Grand Slams. Few young players have had the chance to train with a champion of this level. I've always loved learning from others and I often say that I owe much of my Grand Slam titles to the "Big Three" (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic). I'm definitely the player who trained the most with them. I observed them, I watched a lot of their match videos. At the beginning of my career, I was able to count on Rodg's advice before facing the bests. He has been like a big brother on the Tour.
- What is his most valuable advice?
- The importance of living in the present moment. For twenty years, he has been solicited on a daily basis by the press, the fans, the travel, the tournaments, the training. His days are totally filled and yet he remains unbelievably calm. Even when he has to do something that tickles him less, he does it thoroughly, better than everyone else. With the time, I try to get closer to that as well.
- Federer's talent is often pitted against your hard-working side. Does that annoy you?
- On the contrary, I fully accept it and I am proud of it. I think that's what makes me popular. After my first Grand Slam victory, people thought, "Hey, it's a guy like us who won. That means we can all do it!" Whereas Rodg', Rafa and Novak are aliens who have always been above everyone else. Me, I manage to do it much later.
"It's largely thanks to the fans that I'm where I am today and that tournaments exist."
Read the entire interview (in French) here: Wawrinka: «Federer a été un grand frère sur le circuit»
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Interview published in Schweizer Illustrierte two days ago (translated from German).
THE INTERVIEW WITH ROGER FEDERER
By André Häfliger | Schweizer Illustrierte
October 3, 2020
"There will be no more surgery!"
Enjoying a visit to the Jura headquarters in Niederbuchsiten (SO): Roger Federer takes time for his sponsors during his convalescence. And talks in an interview about comeback timing, family planning and space travel.
Coffee world instead of serve-and-volley: Roger Federer, as he has every year since 2016, on a visit to Jura in Niederbuchsiten. Valeriano Di Domenico
The 39-year-old world No. 4 is in a good mood during his annual visit to the headquarters of the coffee giant Jura (800 employees, 542 million Swiss francs in sales in 2019) in Niederbuchsiten (SO). For 14 years, Jura CEO Emanuel Probst, 63, has been able to welcome his most prominent brand ambassador regularly to the company's headquarters. This year, however, on a slightly smaller scale, as Probst explains: "Because of Corona, we had to adapt the event considerably." There are hardly any guests, nor any media.
Federer arrives on the company premises by truck, which has a giant picture from his latest Jura campaign on the side. And his first encounter is with his wax sosie. He, himself, is feeling fit and happy, reveals the Basler and asks his double, in a Santa Claus voice: "And, have you been good over the last year?". While touring the Jura 'World of Coffee', Roger discovers "like every year, new things" and reveals that the coffee bean 'Rubia' is the declared darling of his kids.
More friendship than business relationship: Federer with Jura CEO Emanuel Probst and his wife Marianne.
Valeriano Di Domenico
Corona chaos preoccupies tennis maestro
For the tennis maestro, the visit is a welcome change in a "tennis-poor" time. After two knee surgeries in the spring, Federer has reached for the racket again, but plans to rejoin the tournament tour at the Australian Open in January at the earliest. The Novak Djokovic induced disagreements among top players and the Corona-related tournament chaos also keeps to the most successful player in history rather busy during his unusually long stay in Switzerland.
Amaze like a child: Roger Federer at the Jura World of Coffee. "Here I discover new things every time." Valeriano Di Domenico
Roger Federer, how do you manage life during your tournament break in these Corona times?
With a lot of patience, discipline and above all with a lot of common sense.
The virus does not affect you, but your knee does. What about your fitness?
I'm on the right track, I'm coming back gradually, but I'm not putting any pressure on myself and I'm taking my time. I will enter tournaments only once I'm 100 percent fit. It currently looks like I'll be able to make my comeback at the Australian Open in January.
Can you train fully again?
Not yet, more than two hours with the racket is not possible at the moment. But I've been working on fitness and strength absolutely pain free for a while now. There will be no further operations.
Novak Djokovic must keep you on your toes with his escapades such as the Adriatic Tour or the disqualification in New York. When was the last time you spoke to him?
About two months ago. But it was all about how and when tennis could start again and how the Corona measures would be implemented at tournaments. We are both on the 10-member players' council of the tour. It's mainly about the survival of tournaments and professionals, who continue to have their expenses.
"With patience and common sense": This is how Roger Federer masters the low-tennis Corona time. Valeriano Di Domenico
Are you now thinking more and more about what you'll do after your sporting career?
I have been thinking about this for about five years already. But as long as I have fun and it's right for all of us, I'll keep going. After that, I will focus on my family, my foundation and my sponsors. I am very interested in business ideas and entrepreneurship. But I definitely don't want to plan everything now.
Not the family either? Or is your planning complete there?
(Laughs heartily) Good question! I will gladly pass it on. It's certainly good to ask the question again every couple of years.
All the travelling will also come to an end – or will you feel like doing some still?
Definitely! I would like to go back to many places where I've been. I like travelling in Asia and South America. I also enjoyed Mexico, Chile, and Colombia too. I can picture myself competing in exhibitions, bringing tennis to places where the sport still receives little attention.
And a flight into space? In a promotional clip for Jura, you were there already.
No, despite all my fascination, I have too much respect for that. I realized that the time I was allowed to talk to an astronaut in space.
Speaking of advertising appearances: What has connected you to Jura for so long?
The pride of being an ambassador of a Swiss global corporation for 14 years now. But it is also the long-standing friendship with Marianne and Emanuel Probst. Like me, they and all employees have the ambition to be among the best in the world.
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Thank you, Cromar, for the lovely minutes reading about Roger!
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You are so right, HOM! It's always a pleasure to hear what Roger has to say, and he usually has a lot to say!
And I am glad you enjoyed it.
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"We never saw Roger as a future star"
His parents, Lynette and Robert, talk about the turbulent child he was, their lives as grandparents and their plans for the future.
Roger Federer celebrates his 40th birthday today. His parents, Lynette and Robert, are very proud of him.
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ARTIKEL AUF DEUTSCH LESEN
Cecile Klotzbach
Published: 08.08.2021
Lynette and Robert Federer, what goes through your head when you think your son Roger is going to be 40 years old?
Lynette: You're just thinking: Wow, 40 years old!
Robert: Yes, the other day I said, "Rogi, I'm almost twice your age!"
Come on... You are only 75.
Robert:That's true, at least I'll never be really twice his age... And fortunately I'm only 75 years old. He already has children, which gives us the chance to have grandchildren, it makes life so enjoyable.
Do you recognize any characteristics of Roger in your grandchildren?
Robert: Yes, one or two of them look like him. You can recognize some character traits that "Rogi" also had in the past. But I do not want to go into detail and tell you which grandchild it is.
What was it like then?
Lynette: It's up to me to answer. "Robbie" was almost never at home, he was always on a business trip. Roger was fun, active, he always had a lot of friends. With him, there was always something going on. We could quickly see that he had a great desire to move. I was like that too, by the way. It doesn't matter if it's with a skateboard, bike, at the ping-pong table or playing squash with Robbie. It was nice to see him having fun. It was that it was not an obligation. He loved it. As soon as he was able to walk, he always had to have a ball with him and he played football as soon as possible.
Did you think at the time that it would go so far one day?
Lynette: People have often said how exceptional his talent was or how much he knew how to handle the ball from an early age. But we couldn't have foreseen the incredible successes he had afterwards.
Robert: We never considered him a future star and therefore did not live with this in mind. For a long time, we just waited to see how things would turn out.
And yet, you gave him the chance to realize his dream of becoming a professional athlete. At what point did you really believe in him?
Robert: When he became World No. 1 in juniors at about 17 years old.
Lynette: And when he won the junior tournament at Wimbledon the same year. Only then did we feel that he could achieve great things on the ATP tour.
Robert: At that moment, we said to ourselves: Now we can let him go quietly...
Today, he has 20 Grand Slam titles and is one of the biggest stars in the world. Despite its natural down-to-earthness, this inevitably changes a person. Have you noticed a change in him?
Robert: You can't say it precisely. A possible change certainly did not happen suddenly and in one fell swoop.
What are the features he inherited from you
Robert: He looks a lot like me physically. I think he clearly received some traits from me. It is difficult to say otherwise.
Lynette: From me, he most likely received discipline and the desire to move. Maybe also the talent with the ball.
Are you also good tennis players?
Robert: I had to work when I was young and I didn't get the opportunity to play tennis or football.
Lynette: But you played in Interclubs...
Robert: Yes, but I'm talking about my adolescence. When you were 15, 16, 17 years old, and you were growing up in the country, you had other things to do. It wasn't until I was 25 that I played tennis for the first time.
Lynette: I also learned it late. When I was 18, when I met Robbie. And I was also better than Robbie pretty quickly.
As a father of four, does Roger pass on to his children the same values that you passed on to him?
Lynette: Yes, I think he does. Our upbringing rubbed off on him. For example, he likes to be outdoors with his children, going to the mountains. These are activities that we often did with our children. We often hiked or cycled.
Robert: His willingness to help is also one of the values that we hope we have been able to pass on to him. He does not care about himself first. At the time of this pandemic, it has helped a lot. He is concerned to give generously as well.
Lynette: And yet Mirka and Roger are two different people than Robbie and I were at the time. They do it the way they think is best. Each couple must find their own way. Just digital changes make things different today. When Roger was born, we didn't even have emails.
Robert: Indeed, our children weren't playing in front of the computer.
Has Roger become calmer as a person since he was a father?
Lynette: I would say he stayed true to himself. As he is, he is always very funny and loves to play with his children. But as a father, he obviously can't always be the loving father. From time to time, it must be strict and take action. And it does. I think he has a very good balance on that.
Roger is now 40 years old and still plays tennis professionally. Did you expect that?
Lynette: No, not really. But he certainly follows his instincts and love for the sport. In addition, his body has endured the repetition of effort relatively well over the past 25 years.
Are you happy to be able to follow his career even longer than expected?
Robert: It's not about us. It's great that he still lives for tennis. And have you seen that he has undertaken and all the efforts he has made to rebuild himself after his injury? That is truly admirable. Roger lives his dream. We accept it and do not intefere with it.
Does he consult you when it comes to decisions such as the end of his career?
Lynette: These are personal things, they stay in the family.
You take care of its foundation, the Roger Federer Foundation. Does your son plan to take care of it himself at the end of his career?
Robert: He will definitely do more. But let's wait and see when he retires and what he wants to do at that time. We do not know exactly either.
Lynette: It's already great what he's doing for his foundation. For example, we were delighted that the auction of his souvenirs, his signed personal items such as snowshoes, match outfits and shoes, raised so much money for good causes.
Didn't Roger also feel regret at the thought of giving away the many personal items that remind him of his successes?
Robert: What should he have done with it? Let them pick up the dust in the cupboards? You can't keep everything – all the Wimbledon shoes, all the outfits – ; you have to limit yourself to the most important things! It is much better if the money goes to the foundation. I think it's great from Mirka and "Rogi".
Lynette: About two million children benefit from the Foundation, which shows that it is on the right track and that we are doing a good job. This is despite the fact that times are not easy for athletes or for philanthropy. We do everything we can and are very active throughout the year. Moreover, if Roger's objects have remained intact, it is mainly thanks to Mirka.
Robert: Yes, the action at Christie's auction house was Mirka's idea. What she did there is just great. We would never have thought it possible to generate so much money. We thought it would be difficult in these times of coronavirus. Because we didn't know what to expect. We have not published a Federer calendar in 2020. But we recently decided that there would be one again this year.
Comment voyez-vous l’impact de la pandémie sur la carrière de Roger? Une bénédiction en raison de l’absence de blessure ou une malédiction parce qu’il a été privé de l’une des dernières années de sa carrière?
Robert: Je ne pense pas qu’on lui ait volé une année. Cela n’a rien à voir avec le coronavirus.
Did you regret that he could not participate in the Olympic Games?
Robert: We are extremely happy for the two Swiss women Bencic and Golubic who had so much success in Tokyo. It was just great to watch. If "Rogi" had participated in the mixed doubles with Belinda, who knows what could have happened! It could have been something great, that's for sure.
Lynette: But it's also fantastic what the mountain bikers and all the other Swiss Olympic athletes have accomplished. They won so many medals, it's great! This summer, we were also excited about the Swiss national team at the last Euro football. We live sport in general very intensely and with pleasure.
What do you wish Roger for his birthday and for his future?
Robert: Let him stay as he is.
Lynette: May he and his family remain healthy and may Roger continue to radiate so much joy. May he continue to follow his heart.
Not that he wins the US Open?
Lynette: We don't think that far ahead. That's how we have always proceeded: step by step, without ever projecting ourselves.
Roger Federer's 40th birthday in a few images
He was born in 1981
He started playing tennis when he was still a little boy.
1989: Roger celebrates his 8th Birthday.
1999: Finally of age! For lack of the eye of the tiger, he had at least the paws!
2001: Roger Federer is 20 years old!
2006: Federer celebrates his 25th birthday during the tournament in Toronto.
2011: Balloons for his 30th Birthday.
The Federer family in 1998.
Cromar- Posts : 6560
Join date : 2017-01-24
Location : Montreal, Canada
slaie_thuin likes this post
Credit Suisse Video Interview
Suddenly we are spoiled with Roger's news!
Roger appeared as a guest at the Credit Suisse LATAM (Latin America) digital conference, answering a broad range of questions about his personal and professional life and ambitions, as well as providing an update on his recovery. He shared the stage with his good friend Jorge Paulo Lemann, a Swiss/Brazilian businessman.
A nice conversation touching on many subjects, and it always a treat to watch Roger speak, with his usual open and amiable presence... and he looks great, by the way!
Here is a snippet of Roger talking about his rehab (@ 37 minutes in the full interview)
The Masters: Roger Federer and Jorge Paulo Lemann
Below is the full 52-minute interview, now available on YouTube.
LAIC 2022 Arena (unlisted)
But, if all fails, this is the link of the website where you can register and watch that video:
2022 Latin America Investment Conference (videoshowcase.net)
Cromar- Posts : 6560
Join date : 2017-01-24
Location : Montreal, Canada
norinchi likes this post
Re: General Interviews with, or about Roger
And, it makes me remember Nadal's comments a long time ago- after an AO, I think but I don't remember which year, when he spoke bitterly that after everything was over Roger would be smelling like a rose or something while he himself would be hobbling around.
ph∞be- Posts : 2099
Join date : 2017-01-29
Re: General Interviews with, or about Roger
>Maybe Im just spoiled to the way it used to be!!!
striker- Posts : 1399
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norinchi likes this post
Re: General Interviews with, or about Roger
Thank you!
ph∞be- Posts : 2099
Join date : 2017-01-29
Re: General Interviews with, or about Roger
But if all fail, I followed your suggestion and added the link for the website where one can register and view the video there.
Cromar- Posts : 6560
Join date : 2017-01-24
Location : Montreal, Canada
Re: General Interviews with, or about Roger
ph∞be wrote:Listening to Roger- just the snippet posted here- I am filled with sadness. His surgery was in September and 4 months later he is still not able to do as much as, perhaps, it was hoped? [....]
As Roger explained in some details in a interview back in November (posted here on Jan 30), his last surgery was far more serious than the previous ones. Roger knew that it would require a longer period of recovery and restricted activity than before (athough, we, the fans, were kept in the dark until recently!). We just need to be patient, I guess.
But the good news is that Roger seems to be very committed to a full rehabilitation process that should allow him to return to the court eventually, in some shape or form.
Cromar- Posts : 6560
Join date : 2017-01-24
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slaie_thuin likes this post
Re: General Interviews with, or about Roger
I really loved the Brazil interview. So detailed and thoughtful.
I normally break out a bottle of Moet et Chandon Nectar Imperial champagne for Roger's GS victories. I blame myself a little bit for the dreadful 2019 W since I was already planning a little trip to pick up a bottle to celebrate his 21 !
But, this time, I promise I will pick up a bottle the day he steps on the court again whether it is to play or to announce his retirement.
ph∞be- Posts : 2099
Join date : 2017-01-29
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