"Puts everyone at ease": Why Roger Federer is "the best" at interviews according to Jim Courier

Jim Courier has explained why he thinks Roger Federer is "the best" at interviews, while also mentioning one outlier to their easy conversations.

20-time Grand Slam champion Federer may no longer be generally considered the overall GOAT in terms of titles, with Rafael Nadal having 22 and Novak Djokovic having recently picked up his 24th major title to equal Margaret Court's record. However, he is often thought of as one of the most likable players on the ATP Tour, with many fans enjoying his interviews.

This sentiment was echoed by former World No. 1 Courier, who has interviewed the Swiss player several times in the past: "Look, Roger's the best. He's so easy to talk to, and happy and puts everyone at ease," the 53-year-old said.

Courier did identify one outlier in his conversations with Federer, saying that the interview they did at the 2023 Laver Cup in September was "weird" because it was "heavily produced," but said that it didn't worry the tennis legend.

"It was a weird interview cause it wasn't all my questions. Normally when I talk to Roger, I'm isolated and I just do my thing. This one was very heavily produced. But it was cool because there were crowd questions and there were some video questions. So it had a rhythm. There's a little, little difference, but none of that phases Roger. He just keeps giving you great content," he said. 

Federer retired from the sport in September 2022, playing his final matches at that year's edition of the Laver Cup in London. Since then, he has been seen at various tournaments as a guest, including Wimbledon and the Shanghai Masters.