"It's hopefully going to make a lot of people happy, because it certainly makes me extremely happy" - Roger Federer's iconic 'RF' apparel series finally expands after four long years
Roger Federer fans can once again buy clothes featuring his iconic 'RF' logo for the first time since he switched brand partners from Nike to UNIQLO in 2018. The Swiss' signature logo, featuring a floating R and F to denote his initials, was discontinued from appearing on any apparel after his split with Nike.
However, the two brands have now negotiated a deal, following which UNIQLO released two t-shirts with the logo to kick things off in the 'RF' series -- one black and one white. The news was announced in a short video by the 20-time Grand Slam champion, who revealed that the decision came about after a lot of requests from his fans.
"I know a lot of you have been asking about the RF logo and I am here to tell you that RF logo is here on the UNIQLO t-shirt for the first time. And I really, of course, hope you like it," Federer said.
During the reveal, the former World No. 1 also expanded on how the original logo came about. Federer recalled a conversation with his wife Mirka, where they both decided to keep his initials instead of symbols, since it would help him stand out from the norm at the time.
"In the beginning, it came through a conversation I had with my wife Mirka. We thought we needed a logo. At the time, initials were not that popular quite yet, it was more symbols," Federer said. "What we created way back when was very similar to this one. It also had the floating R with the floating F and it is very light. I think it is very elegant."
Federer y la (nueva)vida de su logo RF — si Federer está feliz, todos estamos felices.
https://t.co/qBUd2adzM6
The 40-year-old remarked that he had originally thought of the logo as a "personal statement." But now that it has evolved into something more, a way of connecting with his fans, the 20-time Grand Slam champion declared that he wore it with even more pride.
ロジャーフェデラー選手から、皆さんへ大切なお知らせ
The RF T-shirt returns. Available at selected UNIQLO stores and online stores from June 27.
📢ロジャーフェデラー選手から、皆さんへ大切なお知らせ🌈
待望のRFロゴ入りのTシャツが6/27に発売決定🎉 https://t.co/FFTDQL5xDY
The Swiss hopes his fans will continue to cherish it for years to come and feel a "sense of community" in the same way they have enjoyed it so far. The t-shirts will go on sale from June 27, available both online and in select UNIQLO stores across the globe.
"The logo has evolved. In the beginning, it was a more personal statement and then it became more of a logo for the fans. As we in tennis don't have a number or the name on the back, it was a way for me to connect to the fans and really feel that sense of community," Federer said. "It means so much to me. I wear it with a lot of pride. I am so happy that it is here, that it's alive, that it's hopefully going to make a lot of people happy, because it certainly makes me extremely happy. I wanted people to know that."
Roger Federer to return to action at the Laver Cup in September
Meanwhile, Roger Federer is still gearing up to make his return to action after an entire year on the sidelines. The former World No. 1 last played a competitive tennis match at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships and has since been making his recovery from knee rehab. At the end of this year's edition at SW19, therefore, the Swiss will fall off the rankings completely.
Félix Auger-Aliassime, Taylor Fritz and Diego Schwartzman are the first three players confirmed for Team World at the Laver Cup, happening September 23-25 in London's O2 Arena.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (yes, you read that right) already confirmed for Team Europe.
The Swiss recently confirmed that he will make his comeback at the Laver Cup in September, where he will feature alongside stars like Rafael Nadal, Taylor Fritz and Felix Auger-Aliassime among others.
Following that, he will play at the Swiss Indoors at the end of the year in his hometown of Basel before returning full-time for the 2023 season.
"The goal is to be ready for the Laver Cup and Basel by the end of the year. I'll get a lot of information in the next few months because I'm running out of space now," Federer said. "[I want to return to the tour in 2023 if my knee plays along]. How and where, I don't know yet. But that would be the idea. Definitely."