"Roger Federer's comeback is like a good crime thriller; you don’t know what to expect" - Heinz Gunthardt
Two-time Slam champion Heinz Gunthardt recently likened Roger Federer's comeback to 'a good crime thriller', highlighting the 39-year-old’s ability to pull off the unexpected.
On the occasion of Federer’s much-awaited return to the tour, several famous Swiss personalities - including Heinz Gunthardt - shared their thoughts on the 20-time Grand Slam champion. Federer is expected to play sometime this week at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, as he takes on one of Jeremy Chardy or Dan Evans in the second round.
Gunthardt, who was also Switzerland’s Fed Cup captain, expressed his excitement about his countryman’s comeback. The 62-year-old claimed that Roger Federer is ‘breaking new ground’ with his comeback at 39 years of age.
“The goosebumps were missing,” Gunthardt said. “What to expect from Roger? It’s like a good crime thriller: you don’t know what to expect. Roger is breaking new ground – nobody has done it before at this age and with his ambitions.”
Marco Chiudinelli, Roger Federer’s childhood friend and former World No. 52, also spoke in glowing terms about the Swiss legend. Chiudinelli believes Federer hasn’t lost his racket-skills, and he claimed that the World No. 6’s body hasn’t seen any notable deterioration.
“Roger can play it there in Doha with ease and see where he stands,” Chiudinelli said. “He has certainly not forgotten how to play tennis and not lost much physically. If everything comes together, Roger can still beat the very best.”
Yves Allegro, another former Swiss player, showered rich praise on Roger Federer’s playing style. Allegro claimed Federer's tennis is ‘unique’ and distinct from that of Rafael Nadal’s or Novak Djokovic’s.
“Roger’s way of playing tennis is unique – he’s attacking,” Allegro said. “It’s such a contrast to Nadal and Djokovic. A great player like Roger can win tournaments as long as he plays and believes he can.”
I appreciate Roger Federer not only as an extremely fair world-class player but also as a person and a family man: Swiss Federal Council-member Viola Amherd
Viola Amherd, a Swiss politician, has been serving as a member of the Swiss Federal Council since 2019. She is the head of the ministries of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport, and is also the first woman to hold such a position in Switzerland.
When asked about Roger Federer’s comeback, she admitted to being a long-time fan of the 39-year-old. Amherd then went on to reveal her admiration towards Federer’s sportsmanship, racket-skills and off-court personality.
“I’ve been following Roger Federer’s extraordinary career for many years and I’m a big fan of him,” Amherd said. “I appreciate him not only as an extremely fair world-class player, but also as a person and a family man."
Madeleine Barlocher also gave her views about Roger Federer’s return to the tour. Barlocher is the former junior co-ordinator at the Old Boys Basel tennis coaching institute, which the young Federer attended.
The 79-year-old lauded Federer's 'elegant’ style of play, revealing that she ‘missed’ watching the Swiss legend’s artistry on court.
“Roger’s elegant tennis, his creativity, and technique are unique – I missed that a lot. I still follow his matches And I still get really nervous, when <Roger> plays,” Barlocher said.