Achievements aside, we associate Roger Federer with elegance, perseverance and humility.
A Tennis Legend
A master of his craft
Prior to his retirement, Roger Federer had forged a playing career of peerless achievement: the first man to win 20 Grand Slam® singles titles, six ATP Finals crowns, more than 1,200 career victories, two Olympic medals, a Davis Cup triumph with Switzerland and 310 weeks ranked World No. 1.
Early in his career, when he was ranked in the top 100 players, Federer was, by his own admission, a very impatient and sometimes bad-tempered athlete. He decided, in his own words, “to become his own best friend”. And so the champion learned to manage pressure and show the utmost respect for the game. He won his first Grand Slam® title in 2003.
The Swiss legend was renowned for his exemplary attitude on court, his elegance and an ability to challenge himself and continue raising his game. With these qualities, he stood the test of time, remaining at the top of his sport for the best part of two decades before retiring in September 2022 following a final performance for Team Europe at the Laver Cup in London.
A change that started within
While strategy played a key role in Roger Federer’s career, technique was every bit as important. With an unrelenting drive for excellence, he succeeded in adapting his game to changes in his physical condition.
Season after season, he reinvented his tennis to remain competitive at the highest level. While his career was built on natural talent, his all-round mastery of the game and his place in history are the result of continuous hard work.
He decided, in his own words, “to become his own best friend”.
