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"Man, it’s Roger Federer" - Paris-bound Sharath Kamal reveals his fanboy moment with tennis legend

The 42-year-old veteran Indian paddler Sharath Kamal revealed his fanboy moment of having an unexpected lunch alongside tennis legend Roger Federer during the 2004 Athens Games. He termed it as one of his top five Olympic moments.

Sharath Kamal’s top Olympic moment came when he shared a table with the Swiss tennis legend in the dining hall in 2004. Watching the camaraderie between him and Andy Roddick was icing on the cake.

Sharath, who has been part of four Olympics so far, is all set to make his fifth Games appearance at the forthcoming Paris Olympics, scheduled to start on July 26.

“One day I was just out for lunch and as I was entering from this side, there was another person coming from the other side with a tennis bag and hair let loose. I feel like I have seen him somewhere. I couldn’t recognise who he was with his hair let loose. We pass each other, we actually cross paths.
"He goes to give his bag at the baggage keeping area. I walk in, take my plate looking at what to eat and it suddenly strikes me. Man, it’s Roger Federer,” Sharath Kamal told Ultimate Table Tennis.
“I was very shy then. So, I took something to eat and searched for him. He was sitting at one of the tables all by himself. I went as close as possible. I didn’t want to get in his place but still got close and I was eating [on the same table]. And then suddenly, a guy comes in with a reverse hat and shorts and they are clapping hands. I look at him and it’s Andy Roddick,” Sharath recalled.

Sharath Kamal's pep talk from Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

Indian athletes would be aiming to cross the double-digit figure in the medal tally at the Paris Olympics 2024. However, at Sharath’s first-ever Games in Athens in 2004, winning even one medal was considered a big deal.

Just when Sharath was moving around the Games Village in Athens with the then-team coach and current TTFI Secretary General Kamlesh Mehta, the latter asked him if he could recognize the person they were passing by.

Mehta then introduced Sharath to Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore who was considered to be India’s best medal prospect at Athens. Rathore went on to clinch the silver medal in the Double Trap final the next day.

“Probably I disturbed him in his alone time but he was sitting outside and relaxing. Coach Kamlesh Mehta said, ‘Come, let’s go and wish him.’ And then we both went and he spoke very nicely, asked about my match etc. He went on to win the medal and after he won the medal, it was so easy for me to go and look at the medal because I had already spoken to him the night before,” Sharath added.

Sharath Kamal will be hoping to add the elusive Olympic medal to his cabinet at the Paris Olympics 2024. He propelled the Indian men’s team to make the cut for the first time in the Games.

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