"Roger Federer calls me 'Quack'" - James Duckworth
Roger Federer is one of the greatest players of all time and is respected by the entire tennis world for his achievements. But his colleagues and fans also love him for the fact that the Swiss maestro makes sure to have a lot of fun outside the court.
Fellow players often share funny anecdotes about the 40-year-old, the latest coming from Australia's James Duckworth, who is present in Newport to participate in the Hall of Fame Open. In a chit-chat with host Blair Henley, the World No. 74 revealed that Federer calls him 'Quack'.
"We were playing at the Australian Open one year and it often happens as well, the quacking in the crowd and he thought that it was pretty funny. So that's what he calls me. He calls me 'Quack'," Duckworth said.
Henley was surprised and, at the same time, glad to hear the story.
"That is amazing. That's the Roger Federer story we did not know we were going to get today," Henley said.
.@BlairHenley said it best, the @rogerfederer story we didn't know we were going to get from @JamesDuck21 or should we call you, "Quack"?🤔
This Chat w/ Champions was a blast, full replay in TennisONE 👏
#infosyshalloffameopen #RogerFederer #JamesDuckworth @TennisHalloFame https://t.co/7OnLhhmbQK
Because of his last name, Duckworth has earned the nickname 'Ducks' among his peers. The crowd often chants 'quack, quack' at him to fire him up a bit. The Australian player shared the same story last year as well, saying that every time he saw Federer or walked past him, the Swiss started to quack.
The 30-year-old Aussie defeated Liam Broady and Quentin Halys in his first two matches to reach the quarterfinals at Newport, where he is all set to face compatriot Jason Kubler. In the Round of 16, World No. 102 Kubler stunned ninth-ranked Felix Auger-Aliassime as he beat the Canadian 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) to register his first top-10 victory.
Roger Federer unranked for the first time in 25 years
Until July 10, Roger Federer had been a ranked player ever since making his debut at the age of 16 in September 1997. For the first time in almost 25 years, the Swiss maestro has not featured in the ATP rankings, which allots points on the basis of a player's performance over the past 52 weeks.
Federer hasn't played a match since his quarterfinal defeat to Hubert Hurkacz at last year's Wimbledon. He has been struggling with a long-term knee injury, causing him to miss multiple tournaments in the last two years.
HISTORY 📚
For the first time since Jan 5, 1998 neither Serena Williams nor Roger Federer are inside the WTA/ATP Rankings top 100.
Both players are currently unranked (first time since 1997). https://t.co/YLfmfbZD3e
The 40-year-old recently stated that he doesn't need tennis and is finding happiness in the little things that life offers.
"If you're not competitive anymore, then it's better to stop. I don't think I need the tennis. I am happy with the little things, like when my son does something right and when my daughter comes home with a good grade. Tennis is part of, but not my entire identity," Federer said. "I know a professional career can't last forever and that's okay."