Former Slovenian tennis player Blaž Kavčič recalls the time he beat Roger Federer in practice, says the Swiss demanded an immediate rematch
Former Slovenian tennis player Blaz Kavcic recently recalled a practice match he played against former World No. 1 Roger Federer. In an interview with Sport Klub, Kavcic revealed that he beat the Swiss in a one-off practice set. The Slovenian added that the Swiss' competitive instincts kicked in immediately and that he demanded a rematch, which he comfortably won.
Kavcic also made a reference to the time his coach faced off against Roger Federer in a match in 1999. According to Kavcic, Federer wanted to postpone the match until the next day because of fading light, but Trupej insisted the match come to a conclusion.
"He approached me and said, 'We switch for fifteen minutes and then we play, but only one set.' I beat him 7: 5 and of course he wanted a rematch, he routinely beat me 6: 3 in the second. We laughed well when he recognized my coach Blaž Trupej. I remember you, ha-ha. They played against each other in Domžale in 1999, Federer wanted to continue the next day because of the darkness, but Trupej said he couldn't because he had a tennis lesson in the morning," Kavcic said.
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"He is an icon wherever he goes" - Blaž Kavčič on Roger Federer
Blaž Kavčič, who recently announced his retirement from the sport, spoke about how certain tournaments are molded to the requirements of Federer. He recalled the time when the practice surfaces in Dubai were designed to help the Swiss maestro better prepare for the Australian Open.
Roger Federer has often called Dubai his second home and practices there during the off-season.
"They make an identical surface there as in Melbourne Park, just for him. They even asked him what the temperature and humidity were at the Hisense Arena that year when we were training. He is an icon wherever he goes," Kavcic added.
Roger Federer defeated Kavcic in their only professional meeting in the second round of the Australian Open in 2014.
Federer has been sidelined ever since his quarter-final loss to Hubert Hurkacz at Wimbledon last year. He has been dealing with a right knee injury since at least 2020.
However, Federer stated a few weeks ago that he's aiming for a comeback sometime in late summer or early autumn, possibly after Wimbledon. The Swiss has also confirmed his participation in the 2022 Laver Cup, which will take place from September 23-25.