“I cried six times while watching my documentary.”
There are only two days left before we find out what the last twelve days of a tennis career were like Roger Federer. With his documentary for Prime Video about to turn the corner, the Swiss returns to the cover with a series of interviews for various media outlets where he talks a little about what his current life is like and how he lives tennis from a distance that comes from him. retired for a couple of years now, and also what we can find in his documentary.
In this interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Roger makes it clear that even though he has been retired for some time, he still feels close to tennis and follows it with passion.
About your documentary
This is truly the last twelve days of my career. A lot happened in those days. The documentary captures the suffering, vulnerability and beauty that comes with being an athlete. At first these images were intended for personal use, for my family, but we saw that they were so beautiful that we could not keep them just for ourselves. That’s why I’m proud to share them with my fans.
About his departure
At first I thought that I would have to suffer a lot when I announced my retirement. That everything would be sad, but in the end it all turned into a party. I didn’t think everything would be so beautiful. You will see.
exciting moments
When my wife and I first watched the documentary, we cried about six times. That’s when I accepted that my career was over.
If you’re jealous that your main rivals are still on the track
In the end, I made my decision. I enjoy watching current tennis, looking at the results and trying to watch and play tennis as much as possible. I have a lot of respect for Andy, Nole and Rafa. Without them, I would not be the person I am. I will always be grateful to them for what they did for me. If they ever need my help, I will give it to them there.
Time of the Sinner and Alcaraz
This is good news for tennis. It’s great that there is an Italian N1. There are many tennis players in this country who hit well: Cobolli, Nardi, Arnaldi, Musetti, Sonego, Berrettini, Sinner… I’m sure I’m forgetting a few. Yannick deserves it. He plays great. I’m following this with interest. It’s too early to talk about the rivalry between Carlos and Yannick. Each tennis player has their own character, but they are very strong and I think they respect each other very much. It looks like their next great rivalry is coming. It’s nice to see them play.
If your children follow in your footsteps
I don’t know if they will become champions, but I am glad that all four of them love to play tennis. The twins play 3-4 times a week. The guys are still small, but I see in them the desire to become champions. Obviously, Everest is not conquered overnight. It’s a long way. At the moment I like that they are active.
What is your life like now?
Very good. I sleep a little less because I no longer have excuses to practice or play. My daughters are 15 and my youngest are 10. We spent a lot of time together in Switzerland and traveled a lot. I have some very interesting projects, like this one with Amazon, that I’m devoting time and energy to. I usually get up very early and go to the gym. Then I help my kids get ready and take them to school. I try to stay fit and play tennis as much as I can.
Memories of the 2019 Wimbledon final.
I lost that match, but I think that if I had won, my life would not have changed anything. As a child, I dreamed of one day playing at Wimbledon Central and winning the tournament. I didn’t expect to win eight times and be so successful around the world. At the end we talk about an additional prize. Obviously if I could play those match points again I would do it differently, but the balance of my career is positive. I feel deep happiness and gratitude for tennis.