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In a historic 2014 interview, former tennis icon Roger Federer spoke about topics that surprisingly persist after a decade-long gap. The Swiss maestro shares with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as world tennis superpowers (like dictators!).
Here’s a historic series of questions posed to Roger Federer by a sports magazine in which the 20-time Slam champion talks about his meeting with Angelina Jolie on a plane. «Who’s the best player I’ve faced in an ATP Finals? Maybe Rafael Nadal, or Pete Sampras, or Andre Agassi or Novak Djokovic.»
Against players who have been number 1 in the world for a long time and have won multiple slams. If you had to choose one? I choose Pete Sampras. He was my idol when I was a kid, and I was impressed that he made everything look so easy.
I was very fortunate to play with him at Wimbledon in 2001. I remember that game like it was yesterday. It was a basic match. It was my first time at Wimbledon Centre. He was always so kind and helpful when I started going into all his records.
This gave me the motivation to fight harder. What if I play the game again instead? I was playing against Sampras at Wimbledon to try to win again. That feeling of nervousness and disbelief at game point again. Then I was playing the 2008 Wimbledon final against Nadal, trying to change the final result.
I will try to win a few more points at the end,” explained Roger.
When Roger Federer meets Angelina Jolie on a plane
Then the Swiss spoke on a personal matter: «If I’m stuck in an elevator, who would I want to stay with? Marat Safin.
We can talk about a lot of things. Or Andy Roddick. I think the three of us would have a good conversation. My favorite movie is Gladiator. so cute. Sometimes I watch Avatar or Titanic but let’s just say they are not my genre.
Have you ever been liked by any famous person? I don’t know this, but I can tell you something about Angelina Jolie, who was on the same flight with me. In my mind I kept telling her not to see me, not to talk to her because I didn’t want to bother her.
Then my wife and she started talking and so I had to say: Hello. We started talking and she was very nice. I was a little uncomfortable because I didn’t want to disturb many people who did it.
