"That was a mistake, but you see, it's memorable" - When Roger Federer joked about Kim Clijsters' earliest memory of him with blonde hair
Roger Federer once reflected on Kim Clijsters' vivid early memory of him with blonde hair. The Swiss poked fun at himself, hilariously admitting that the look was a blunder on his part.
Although Federer's dark locks have become synonymous with his appearance, there was a time when he rocked a very different hairstyle. In his junior days, the Swiss sported dyed bleach-blonde hair, famously flaunting the style while clinching the boys singles title at the 1998 Orange Bowl Championships.
Roger Federer reminisced about those days during his campaign at the 2019 French Open. Following his 6-3, 6-1, 7-6(8) win over Casper Ruud in the third round of the claycourt Major, the Swiss was amused to discover Kim Clijsters' earliest memory of him.
The Belgian vividly remembered him sporting his iconic blonde locks at a restaurant during his campaign at the Orange Bowl Championships. Federer hilariously responded to Clijsters' recollection, joking that while his dyed blonde look was a "mistake," it clearly left a lasting impression.
"Okay. That was a mistake, but you see, it's memorable," he said in his post-match press conference.
The Swiss also reflected on his earliest memory of Clijsters, suggesting that their first meeting likely took place in 1998, possibly at Wimbledon. He highlighted his close bond with Belgians, recalling his junior days with the likes of Olivier Rochus and Xavier Malisse.
"Yeah, it probably must have been '98 somewhere. I wonder at Wimbledon maybe or some other place. But, you know, the Swiss were always very close to the people from Belgium," he said.
"I had a Belgian doubles partner in Olivier Rochus, and I grew up with him and Xavier Malisse, throughout my entire junior times, from under-12 all the way to under-18. Then Kim obviously came into the picture at some stage," he added.
Roger Federer jokes about his earliest memory of Kim Clijsters: "I don't have a vivid memory she dyed her hair red or anything"
Roger Federer went on to say that he enjoyed a friendly equation with Kim Clijsters, expressing excitement over their journey from being juniors together to achieving Grand Slam success and attaining the World No. 1 ranking after turning professional.
"All very friendly, you know. Kim was the same, always has been. That's always a pleasure to see her. Obviously it's more exciting when you can go from juniors to pros together, and go all the way and win, you know, win Grand Slams, become World No. 1. It's fun," he said.
The Swiss also joked that, unlike Clijsters' recollection of his blonde phase, he doesn't have any memory of the Belgian with dyed red hair.
"It must have been at some point in '98 but I don't have a vivid memory she dyed her hair red or anything. I don't remember that part," he added.
Federer delivered an impressive campaign at the 2019 French Open, reaching the semifinals before suffering a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 loss to eventual champion Rafael Nadal.