20-time Major champion Roger Federer has been a role model for many tennis players for the past 15 years. Like all other competitors, Federer has had some dark moments in the toughest times over the years. Still, he is usually calm and collected on the court, concentrating on the tennis and the opponent on the other side of the net.
However, this was not always the case, as it would be difficult to recognize Roger from his behavior in his late teens. The Swiss couldn’t contain his temper from the first matches of the youth competition, throwing rackets and having something to say about every point he lost.
Speaking of that chapter of his career in 2002, Roger said it took years for him to start getting better at that segment. He realized that it took too much energy for him to fight himself, and he did everything he could to change that before he stepped foot on the ATP Tour.
Recalling those days, Federer also mentioned how his parents sometimes felt embarrassed watching him play, urging him to change his attitude or go to tournaments without them. «When I was very young and started playing at three years old, I was always cursing on the court, throwing rackets and everything else.
My parents felt embarrassed and told me to stop behaving like this; otherwise they wouldn’t come to tournaments with me anymore. I had to calm down, but it took until I was 19 years old to start to improve in that aspect. In the past I complained about every point I lost and I don’t know how I got over it.
I thought I was wasting too much energy by always being mad at myself. Now I am calm, and at Roland Garros and Wimbledon last year I received excellent press for my behavior on the court. Now I almost have to be careful not to act too calm on the court,» Roger Federer said.
Suárez Navarro opens up about Federer
Carla Suárez Navarro expressed her opinion about Roger Federer in an article for El País. The Spaniard praised the 20-time Grand Slam champion, suggesting that everyone loved watching Federer play.
“Whether or not your favorite player. If you love tennis, if you look at it with real attention, you enjoy watching Roger play. His dedication has been such that he amazed different generations. We grew up seeing him overcome, succeed and give us a lesson in values.
He taught us sportsmanship and respect above all else. He showed us that it is possible to reach the top by keeping your feet on the ground. Coinciding at the same time has been special. To be able to compete on the same courts, something unforgettable”, she had written.
