After two arthroscopic knee surgeries and a year away from
Tennis the 39-year-old is showing remarkable grit to continue
In July 2018, during times when rooms could still be safely filled with people,
Roger Federer was at
Wimbledon for a pre-tournament press conference as he prepared to defend his title. For half an hour he fielded questions in three languages from a packed room, but suddenly things took a left turn. An unfamiliar reporter was handed the microphone and without missing a beat, she opened her question with a simple, direct statement: “You look even more handsome than last year.”
As onlookers cackled and Federer responded with a timely injection of humour, that cringe-inducing moment felt as if it was a reflection of the way Federer is discussed in general. Even before he marked himself as one of the all-time greats, Federer took on a mythical status in the sporting world. He is the maestro. He is peRFect. He is often described as some otherworldly being. There are those interminable jokes from commentators about his inability to sweat, even when his headband is clearly soaked through. Such a comment from a professional journalist seemed as if it was a natural progression.