"She's really something, isn't she?" - When Roger Federer's father Robert was mesmerized by lesser-known American tennis player Melanie Oudin
Roger Federer's father, Robert, was once in awe of American tennis player Melanie Oudin during the 2009 US Open. Her performance on the court left a lasting impression on him.
Oudin gained fame after her remarkable run to the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows in 2009 when she was just 17 years old. She scored victories over several top players, such as Maria Sharapova, Elena Dementieva Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and Nadia Petrova, before losing to Caroline Wozniacki. She was known for her fighting spirit and shoes emblazoned with the word 'BELIEVE.'
After Oudin's stunning victory over Petrova, she captured the admiration of Federer's father, Robert. As the American left the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium, just before the 20-time Major champion's match was set to begin, Robert was seen smiling and shaking his head in amazement.
"She’s really something, isn’t she? She just keeps doing it to these Russians," Robert later told the media (via The New York Times).
Melanie Oudin achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 31 in 2010 and won a WTA singles title in Birmingham in 2012. She also secured the US Open mixed doubles title in 2011 alongside Jack Sock. However, her career was cut short by a series of health issues, including rhabdomyolysis and heart problems, which led her to retire in 2017 at the age of 25.
Since retiring, Oudin has engaged in tennis broadcasting and public speaking. Though her career didn’t pan out as she had hoped due to her health, she remains proud of her achievements on the court.
Roger Federer's father Robert revealed how his life changed after his son's retirement
Roger Federer enjoyed a legendary career spanning over two decades, establishing himself as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He won 20 Grand Slams, held the World No. 1 ranking for 310 weeks, and amassed countless records and achievements before retiring from the sport in 2022 at the Laver Cup.
In a conversation with Schweizer Illustrierte in November last year, the Swiss' father, Robert, mentioned that after his son retired, their travel became less frequent, something he missed.
"We travel a lot less than before, I miss that," he said (Translated from German).
Robert also shared that he loves spending time in the mountains with his four grandchildren: identical twin girls, Myla and Charlene, and fraternal twin boys, Leo and Lenny:
"Most important thing, we like to go to the mountains with the grandchildren. To the Appenzellerland or to Valbella."