"Tremendous seeing Roger Federer play" - Andre Agassi's ex-coach Brad Gilbert reacts to Swiss hitting the ball again in latest practice session
Andre Agassi's ex-coach Brad Gilbert has reacted to Roger Federer's social media update on Thursday, February 22, where the Swiss was seen hitting the court for a practice session.
Federer last appeared professionally during the 2022 Laver Cup, alongside longtime rival and friend Rafael Nadal for a blockbuster doubles match. His last tour match, however, was at the Wimbledon Championships earlier that year, where he bowed out to Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals.
Tennis was an integral part of his life for 20-odd years, but that hasn't been the case since his retirement. Except for a couple of guest appearances here and there, Federer has remained covert about his whereabouts.
He did, however, send social media into a frenzy on February 22 when he took to Instagram with a short clip of him hitting against the wall. His graceful forehand and backhand were in full flow and his movement looked as crisp as ever.
Brad Gilbert, the ex-coach of Andre Agassi and the current coach of Coco Gauff, enthusiastically reacted to Federer hitting the tennis court after what seemed like ages. The 62-year-old American lauded the Swiss' practice session against the wall, deeming it "tremendous."
"Such a great way to get in a hit at any level, tremendous seeing Fed play on the wall," Gilbert wrote on his X, formerly Twitter, account.
Tennis fans to be treated to a Roger Federer documentary soon
Tennis fans could be in for a real treat as a documentary detailing Roger Federer's final days on tour is currently in the works at Amazon, as per Bloomberg.
“It’s a snapshot of my life over those 12 days, which is pretty hardcore and interesting,” Federer was quoted as saying during an interview.
The film is also set to feature interviews with his fiercest rivals during his time on tour, including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray. Mirka Federer, his wife, is also due to make her debut on screen.
Speaking about the idea of sharing the screen with his longtime rivals, Federer insisted that despite their fierce battles there was an incredible level of "friendships and respect."
"It’s looking deep into another layer of the tennis tour–how the camaraderie is a good one on the tour," Federer added. "Yes, here are rivalries, but off the court there are friendships and respect.”
While there is currently no news about when it will be released, producers are aiming to get it out by July as per Bloomberg.