Roger Federer is an avowed fan of tennis legends – and has the most important advice for the younger generation at hand.
Roger Federer has never made a secret of it: if you love tennis, you have to deal with its history. And the Swiss likes to go a few steps further: He honoured Rod Laver by co-inventing the Laver Cup, Stefan Edberg was at his side in 2014 for two seasons to pick up – of course – volley tips, but also to chat about old times.
“It’s inspiring for Roger to talk to the legends,” says long-term coach Severin Lüthi, who remembers the Edberg era with some astonishment. “I’m surprised sometimes when I talk to younger players. When Stefan was in the team and we played with the guys, we asked: ‘Do you know Stefan? Or do you remember him?’ And some didn’t. Roger, on the other hand, is really interested in a connection to the past.”
As a meanwhile old, wise man of active tennis, Federer also sees himself obliged to give the mentor for the younger ones – if they want to. “My credo was always: “Be interested in all things that concern you,” said the 37-year-old in the New York Times. “Whether it’s your finances, your agency, talking to the manager. Or the sponsors, your taxes, whatever. Don’t let others make all your decisions for you. At the end of the day, when there’s a problem, you have to take the rap. This is ultimately my greater advice to everyone.”