Despite retiring in 2022, Roger Federer remains active in the tennis community. Although the Swiss Maestro was embroiled in an intense rivalry with the top stars of his era, he harbors no ill will as he wished them success in a recent interview.
Alongside Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were collectively known as the Big Four. During their peak, each man either held the N0.1 position in the world or captured a Grand Slam trophy, leaving next to nothing for the rest of the ATP Tour. Federer engaged in epic battles with each competitor, and tennis history cannot be written without any of the aforementioned men.
In a recent appearance on the podcast of TV personality and good friend Trevor Noah, the 20-time Grand Slam champion was full of praise and support for his former adversaries. Although tennis fans believe he held some kind of grudge against his foes, Djokovic in particular, Federer had nothing but positive things to say about each man's longevity at this stage in their respective careers.
"Living as a tennis player, we are so fortunate to still be going," Federer stated. "Hopefully, Novak can go and crush every record. Hopefully Murray can play as long as his hip allows him to, and he still has the hunger. "Rafa knew that he was in a tough spot as well and he hopes that he can still win as much as possible."
Murray withdrew from the ongoing Wimbledon Championships mere hours before his first round match, after being unable to recover from a back procedure in late June. Nadal is not competing at this year's SW19 citing rest and recovery. Conversely, Djokovic is the only member of the Big Four playing in London this year, and the former World No.1 advanced rather easily to the second round after undergoing meniscus surgery a few week ago.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
Roger Federer says he hopes Novak Djokovic can crush every record, Andy Murray can play as long as his hip allows, & Rafa Nadal can win as much as possible 🥹
Goats supporting goats. 🐐🐐🐐🐐
(via @Trevornoah)