"I don't feel I need to go to a special place to celebrate with her" - When Roger Federer skipped honeymoon with wife Mirka to compete in Monte-Carlo
Roger Federer once opened up about his decision to skip a honeymoon with his wife Mirka in favor of competing at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Federer and Mirka first crossed paths at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where they both represented Switzerland. After initially teaming up for doubles, their romance blossomed, ultimately culminating in them tying the knot on 11 April 2009 at the Wenkenhof Villa in Basel. Remarkably, instead of jetting off on a honeymoon, the Swiss returned to the tour just three days later at the Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo.
After a first-round bye, the second seed kicked off his campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Andreas Seppi. Following his win, Roger Federer expressed happiness at being back in action soon after his wedding, believing it to be the right move.
"Well, it was always an option for me, you know, since a long time. Finally it's a tournament where, one of the Masters, you don't get entered automatically, so it gives me an opportunity. I always wanted to keep it open in case I got married or something, and see how I felt and stuff. I felt like it was the right thing to do, so I'm happy to be here," he said in his post-match press conference.
The Swiss legend then addressed his choice to forgo a honeymoon and compete at the Monte-Carlo Masters instead, disclosing that he and Mirka had discussed the matter and that she had been entirely in support of whatever decision he made.
Federer also mentioned that the past few years of his courtship with Mirka had felt like a perpetual honeymoon phase, rendering the customary post-wedding getaway unnecessary.
"Well, yeah, I mean, of course I spoke to Mirka. She was completely relaxed about whatever decision I took, you know. I feel like I've been on a honeymoon, you know, for the last years, so I don't feel necessarily I need to go somewhere, to a special place, to celebrate with her. We've had a lot of nice moments over all those years. We don't feel like we need it necessarily," he said.
"And I wouldn't miss, you know, being with you guys (smiling). It's nice to be here with you guys," he added.
Roger Federer and his wife Mirka have four children
Roger Federer and his wife Mirka share four children. They welcomed their first set of twins, daughters Myla Rose and Charlene, in July 2009, followed by twin sons Leo and Lenny, in 2014.
Interestingly, all four of the Swiss legend's children have developed an interest in tennis. In an interview in 2023, Federer disclosed that his kids had grown to love the sport, with his daughters honing their skills at John McEnroe's academy in East Hampton and his sons training at Rafael Nadal's academy in Mallorca.
"All four kids love it. The girls didn't love it in the beginning but as they get better, they're enjoying it and playing points now. They were up at [John] McEnroe Academy in East Hampton, and the boys were in Mallorca at the [Rafael Nadal] camp for a couple of days," he said.
Federer has also shared that his sons are scheduled to play tennis four times a week, expressing concern about the packed schedule not leaving enough time for them to pursue other interests.