Roger Federer says Sachin Tendulkar is his top choice when playing cricket games
Tennis’ greatest of all time, Roger Federer personally invited cricketing god Sachin Tendulkar for his IPTL match against Rafael Nadal in New Delhi.
Sachin Tendulkar’s fan following is not only restricted to Indians; the list includes lots of great athletes from all over the world and the Tennis legend Roger Federer is on top of that list.
The Swiss was in India recently for the International Tennis Premier League (IPTL), and admitted that he always chooses Sachin Tendulkar whenever he plays a cricket video game.
In an interview, the 34-year-old said “Sachin Tendulkar is the Indian sport person I admire the most. I met him when he visited Wimbledon. He was a lot of fun to talk to – and he is a legend. Whenever I play cricket video games, I always pick Sachin as my batsman.”
The friendship and mutual admiration between these two living legends is known to every sports lover. The Indian cricketing icon often visits Wimbldon to watch Federer play.
According to the Times of India, the 17-time Grand Slam winner personally invited the Little Master for his match against Rafael Nadal.
The ‘Fedal' rivalrly is considered one of the best in tennis history, and watched closely by fans across the globe.
Federer this year is a member of UAE Royals while Nadal represents the Swiss’ former team, Indian Aces, and has been teamed up with the likes of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna – who are also the defending champions of the IPTL’s first edition last year.
However, despite being personally invited by Federer, the cricketing legend was unable to make it to the event on Saturday in New Delhi.
The Indian Aces beat the UAE Royals 30-19, with Nadal the hero at the end of the day with a superb victory in the singles set against Federer by 6-5.
The pair were tied at 5-5 when Nadal sealed the match in style by winning the shootout by 7-4.
The day they met: Federer recounts
Federer has always been a admirer of Tendulkar, saing he ‘clearly remembered’ the conversation he had with Tendulkar at Wimbledon 2011.
"I'm glad I got to meet him, we had tea in the terrace at Wimbledon. I remember the meeting clearly," Federer said. "I enjoy meeting great athletes. It is an experience for me. I like picking their brains, seeing how it works. I enjoyed my time with Sachin."
Federer loves India
And judging from the immense reception he received in New Delhi, it loves him right back. The Swiss Maestro is a fan of the country, saying in the interview that he loved the “people, culture and food” of the country, and would love to bring his family (his wife Mirka and their four children) with him the next time he visited.
He said he would love to explore the rich culture the country has to offer, and described its people as very “welcoming and kind.”