"Mirka taught me what discipline is" - Roger Federer opens up about his wife's 'incredible' impact on his career
Roger Federer opened up about the impact of his wife Mirka on his career in a recent interview, thanking her for teaching him how to be discplined. By his own admission, the Swiss maestro was something of an 'artist' before his wife instilled the value in his life.
Mirka is a former tennis player herself, and represented Switzerland at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It is there that she and Federer met, who was four years her junior. Nine years later, the duo got married in a tight-lipped ceremony near Basel. Mirka and the 20-time Grand Slam champion have four children -- two sets of twins, two boys and two girls in total.
The final days of Roger Federer's career has been documented in a series called 'Federer: Twelve Final Days,' which is set to be released on Amazon Prime later this month. After playing his last competitive match at the 2021 Wimbledon, the Swiss icon had his farewell at the 2022 Laver Cup, where he was joined by the biggest names in men's tennis for an emotional send-off.
During the premiere of the series, the former World No. 1 sat down for an exclusive interview with El Pais, where he discussed his wife and her 'incredible' role in his success. Federer thanked Mirka for being by his side almost every step of his professional journey, as well as for keeping him motivated through the difficult times.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion also lavished praise on Mirka for helping him keep playing even after he had four children, especially with the way she managed to keep the household functioning while he traveled the globe constantly.
"We met at the Sydney Games, when I hadn't won a title yet, so she has been with me almost every step of the way. She has helped me a lot during difficult times and she has played a very important role in keeping me motivated. She also taught me what discipline is, because she is incredibly disciplined; I was more the player, the artist, if you will, and I needed guidance in that aspect."
"Obviously, she also worked very hard in the second part of my career with the children, making everything work as we traveled around the circuit; The logistics were crazy and she has been incredible in this regard. She knows it, and that's why I'm so glad she's in the movie too," Federer said.
"You see everything Mirka has suffered with me" - Roger Federer on his wife's portrayal in the upcoming Amazon Prime documentary
Roger Federer's wife Mirka has mostly shied away from the media spotlight despite her husband's immense popularity. However, that is set to change with the upcoming Amazon Prime documentary, with pre-release reviews revealing that she occupies major screen-time in the series.
Federe himself has hinted as much, saying that he initially wanted his kids to see how their mother reacted to the news of his retirement at the time. In the interview with El Pais, the former World No. 1 revealed another emotional moment in the series, wherein Mirka admits how much she enjoys watching her husband play.
The Swiss icon also believed that through the series, fans will also finally come to know the truth about how much Mirka has suffered alongside him during his professional journey.
"There is a very emotional moment in which she says how meaningful he has been to her and how much she has always loved watching me play; That is one of the most emotional moments, because you see everything she has suffered with me," Federer said.