![]() Federer himself finds it hard to pinpoint exactly when he first started to feel the love on Centre Court. The racquet-smashing teenager learned to channel his on-court frustration into form, and with that came emergence into tennis' consciousness. for some reason he transcends where he's from, you know, and he's just this global icon."įederer's resilience does not come at the expense of grace and benevolence off the court. "The Aussies think he's Aussie, the French think he's French. "He has this stylistic side to him, and honest to God, I think Americans think that like he's like Sampras, he's from Southern California and he's not really from Switzerland," Gilbert said. "Federer is beloved, because of the style he plays and people feel like he's their own," ESPN tennis analyst Brad Gilbert said. It is a tennis haven from the day-to-day hurdles of normal life, including a global pandemic.Ĭombine it with Federer, dancing along the baseline and finding a precise blade of grass with his sweeping backhand, and it is a Lilliputian experience. It's a patch of grass where adored protagonists are cheered to the (new) rooftops and welcomed back in post-tennis life as old friends. In men's tennis, few players if any have been loved on Centre Court as deeply and adoringly as Roger Federer.Īnd although the 39-year-old is in the twilight of his career, any match here for the 20-time Grand Slam champion is still a bucket-list destination for sports fans who know they will witness a spellbound and emotional experience.Ĭentre Court at Wimbledon is a place where, regardless of what's going on in the world, the expectation and experience remains the same. His post-match on-court comments are greeted with nothing but appreciation and laughter, to the point where he could criticize the England football team this week and even the most fervent fan would shrug it off: "Yeah, but it's Roger." LONDON - Roger Federer's third-round match against Cameron Norrie on Centre Court had a familiar feel.įans stood dressed in Federer regalia, some of whom held up a sign which read, "Federer is forever." It was as if these fans were on a pilgrimage, following the 20-time Grand Slam champion with an adulation reflected wherever Federer goes at the All England Club. ![]() Wimbledon 2021 - Roger Federer and Centre Court are still the perfect match You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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