10 amazing facts about Roger Federer
A player like Roger Federer is very rare, right from his talent and success on the court to his core as a human being. A quintessential family man and a traditionalist, he has ruled the tennis court for almost 14 years now with grace, in the process becoming possibly the greatest player of all-time.
Also read: Roger Federer, the fairytale man
Though his fans have always been very interested in how he leads his life off the court and know most of it already, here is a look at a few things you probably did not know about Federer:
#1 Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Pete Sampras are his idols
Federer has said on multiple occasions that his love for tennis came from watching his idols Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg in action and that he was inspired by watching their rivalry on the court.
His website also names Sampras as another idol of his, and his rise began when he defeated the American at Wimbledon.
Experts have noted that there are similarities between the Swiss ace's game and the playing style of the ones he considers his role models.
#2 A picture of consistency
Regarded as the most graceful player ever to have played tennis, Federer's excellence and continued success is due to his ability to work hard and not just rely on his natural talent.
A couple of remarkable statistics that stand out from his career are that he reached the semi-finals of 23 Grand Slam tournaments in a row, more than twice the number achieved by the next man on the list, Ivan Lendl.
When he pulled out of the 2016 French Open due to a back injury, it brought to an end his incredible record of playing in 65 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, a streak that lasted 16 years from the time he played his first Grand Slam in 2000.