Roger Federer has probably experienced every obstacle in his 20-year professional career and has mostly overcome it with flying colours. However, the search for new tasks is far from over for the 37-year-old. The 20-time major winner recently embarked on an outdoor adventure with world-renowned survival expert Bear Grylls. And once again convinced to the fullest.
Eat fish eyes. Climb down an icy waterfall at an angle of 90 degrees. Or simply put out a fire in an unorthodox way. Yes, that too makes gentleman Roger Federer. Under close observation, of course. Bear Grylls supported “FedEx” in word and deed when the Swiss man ventured on an adventure in the Swiss mountains on the TV show “Running Wild mit Bear Grylls”.
Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal or ex-US President Barack Obama have already ventured into the wilderness with survival guru Grylls to test new boundaries. Of course, a world star like Federer should not be missing in this illustrious series. But what tasks did the father of a twin pack of twins set himself?
Grylls waited for his guest in the Swiss Alps to rope his protégé down a frozen waterfall many meters after a short march. “Roger’s got a good balance, you can tell. I’m really impressed,” Grylls said enthusiastically about the record player’s climbing skills.
The first hurdle was only a slight test on the adventure tour of the Swiss-British duo. Only a few moments later, Federer’s stomach was put to the test, for what would a show with Bear Grylls be without a discussable meal like the eyes of a gnawed fish lying in the water.
“You first,” Federer said after Grylls loosened the eyeballs from the fish head and prepared them for consumption. Without hesitation, the survival professional chewed and swallowed the questionable meal. Federer bit his teeth and finally also the slippery, strange-looking tuber of mucus in his hand. “It’s gone! Oh God, it’s disgusting,” broke out of Federer after the survived survival rehearsal.
Federer showed anything but star airs and graces. On the contrary. The 36-year-old seemed balanced, open and down-to-earth. As usual. At times the Swiss allowed a look into his emotional world: “Family is the most important thing. I love tennis, but in the end it’s just sport. The kids and the wife, that’s what counts.”
The fact that the profession of the “Maestro” and especially his work equipment turned out to be an extremely useful utensil in the struggle for survival in nature was almost a minor matter. Grylls pulled four rackets out of his backpack and quickly built two pairs of snowshoes from them. Blessed is he who has such an inventor at his side.
The adventure didn’t happen without tennis. Towards the end of the short journey, Grylls asked for a table tennis match on a mini table tennis table, which he also had in his backpack. A match to eleven should finish the survival trip and Grylls showed his skills with plastic bats and mini-ball. However, the Briton was not able to keep up with his leadership. Federer quickly acclimatized to the curious conditions and finally won 11:9.
“It was a very special episode for me. I have to say that today I met one of my personal role models and heroes. It was really a great experience and Roger is tough,” explained Grylls. Federer also seemed euphoric: “It was a great adventure and I actually got to know a new side of myself. It’s great to just be away from it all for a few moments.”
Tennis wasn’t etched out of the Swiss’s mind after all. Federer repeatedly said that it was very important that he did not injure himself, as he would play a tournament in a week’s time. That would cost him dearly, Federer added.