3 bold quotes by Roger Federer
Roger Federer is rightfully regarded as one of the best sportspersons of all time and a big source of inspiration to billions of people. However, his accomplishments are not restricted to the tennis court. They extend to the respect and admiration he has garnered for both his on- and off-court demeanor over his two-decades-long career.
Moreover, be it in his pre-/post-match conferences, interviews or at other events, Federer has often shared bits of advice from his journey as one of the best athletes in the world. Many of these statements have proved to be inspiring and influential quotes for his followers to be guided by.
Accordingly, here's a look at three such bold statements made by Roger Federer.
3 powerful statements made by Roger Federer
#3 "Those moments outside of the match, when you learn from each other and briefly forget that you're about to compete again, are the best"
In addition to winning 20 Grand Slam titles and a record eight Wimbledon titles, the respect that Federer has earned as a tennis player goes beyond his mastery of the sport and extends to the spirit of sportsmanship and healthy competition that the Swiss reflects.
In an interview with GQ last year, Federer spoke in detail about the inception of his tennis journey and giving a 'realistic chance' to tennis which also meant dropping out of school to pursue the sport professionally. However, as part of his ever-so-inspiring journey, the Swiss also spoke about the future of tennis and in continuation to the same, the need for athletes to inspire each other off court.
"Yes. I've always loved it when athletes could inspire each other. Those moments outside of the match, when you learn from each other and briefly forget that you're about to compete again, are the best," Federer said.
"I love creating something positive together with others. And money doesn't always have to be the main driver. Sometimes a good idea or time is a much more significant investment. My foundation turns 20 this year and I can't wait to give it even more of my newfound time."
#2 "It’s been a wonderful surprise to me that a lot of people supported me because of my character. It was a bit unexpected"
Roger Federer bid adieu to tennis at the Laver Cup in 2022 and was accompanied by all his fellow tennis mates as he took to the court and said goodbye to the sport he reigned over for years.
Federer's retirement brought tears to many people around the world and the Swiss legend shared bits from his journey in an interview that was shared on ATP's YouTube channel.
However, Federer is one of those sportspersons who is admired by people for not just his contribution to tennis but also his overall aura and demeanour. The love and support that Federer has received because of his character is well known to the Swiss and in the interview, he thanked his fans for the same.
“It's been overwhelming, to be quite honest, how many nice things have been written about me, a lot of them about my persoanlity and about me as a person, less, almost (about) me as the tennis player and my forehand and whatever you want to call it. That’s been a wonderful surprise to me that a lot of people looked (to) or supported me because of maybe my character," Federer said. [04:56]
"That was a bit of an unexpected twist to the story. I thought they were going to talk about 'his achievements,' 'his accomplishments,' what 'he meant for the game,' and that's it. But it was much more than that and it totally exceeded my expectations.”
#1 "Effortless is a myth"
Roger Federer recently made headlines after his inspiring commencement speech at Dartmouth University from where he received an honourary Doctorate in Humane Letters.
As part of his speech directed to the Class of 2024, the Swiss addressed a range of lessons that he learned throughout his life and referred to the same as 'tennis lessons.'
Among the range of tennis lessons that he shared with the students, the 42-year-old stressed how the word "effortless" is a myth and highlighted how all his accomplishments were preceded by a lot of hard work.
“'Effortless'… is a myth. I mean it. I say that as someone who has heard that word a lot. 'Effortless.' People would say my play was effortless. Most of the time, they meant it as a compliment... But it used to frustrate me when they would say. 'He barely broke a sweat! Is he even trying?'" Federer said. [06:05]
"The truth is, I had to work very hard... to make it look easy. I spent years whining... swearing... throwing my racket... before I learned to keep my cool."
Federer also spoke about the process of winning and losing in life, including losing his number one ranking to Rafael Nadal after the iconic 2008 Wimbledon Championship, after which some claimed that Federer's journey would come to an end.
"The truth is, whatever game you play in life… sometimes you’re going to lose. A point, a match, a season, a job… it’s a roller coaster, with many ups and downs. And it’s natural, when you’re down, to doubt yourself. To feel sorry for yourself,"
"And by the way, your opponents have self-doubt, too. Don’t ever forget that. But negative energy is wasted energy. You want to become a master at overcoming hard moments. That to me is the sign of a champion."
Having bid adieu to tennis, Federer now finds himself among the range of celebrities at Wimbledon this year.