Tony Godsick, Roger Federer’s manager, has nothing but praise for his protégé.
Tony Godsick could get worse in life: The American is married to ex-professional Mary-Joe Fernandez, has two healthy children and a joint company with what is probably the greatest tennis player of all time.
And when you hear Godsick talking, all the attributes one likes to associate with Roger Federer seem to be right. Federer is a great person, adorable, he always thinks of everyone else first. He has a great family, great parents and once again great friends – and is himself simply incredible,” Godsick raved in an interview with the US site tennis.com.
What was the difference to 2005, when the cooperation started? “Back then he could go to a restaurant and maybe two or three people would recognize him. Now everyone knows him.” But this had not made Federer into any other person. “Fame has not changed him, success has not, not even the family. Maybe she made him a little more patient, if that’s possible.” Federer is still the same type as before.
Even if the time as a player comes to an end, Godsick looks positively into the future together. Because: “I think it will make him even more successful.” The American knows Federer, the businessman. “I had the great opportunity to sit in meetings with him often. He’s strategically brilliant. He can pick up something very complex, listen to others, process it and come up with a very thoughtful, simple answer that generally makes sense. These are qualities that very few people have.” His relaxed interaction with other people is also part of his success.
The Laver Cup, an event organised by Federer and his manager – and the joint company Team 8 – is now taking place for the second time in Chicago this weekend, the idea for which was born three years ago when both came back from an event in Shanghai where Rod Laver was also present.
In the car Federer said: “We have to do something to honour Rod Laver. An advertising contract or something. This guy’s won 200 titles. And I make more money in one show fight than he has in his entire career. Can you imagine telling me not to play Grand Slam tournaments for four and a half years to promote professional tennis? That’s what he and his colleagues did.”
The result of the advertising deal idea: a tournament for one of the greatest of all time!